Performance of 400 adhesive bridges fitted in a restorative dentistry department

The purpose was to present a descriptive report of the clinical performance of adhesive bridges fitted in a university department of restorative dentistry. The case records of 400 consecutive adhesive bridges fitted between November 1984 and June 1989 in the School of Clinical Dentistry, Queen's University, Belfast were reviewed. The majority of the bridges (66 per cent) were of a fixed-fixed Maryland design; the remainder were Maryland cantilevers (18 per cent), hybrids, i.e. Maryland cantilevers which slotted into conventional units (8 per cent), and Rochette bridges (6 per cent). The mean duration of clinical service at review was 2.7 years. One hundred (25 per cent) of the bridges debonded on at least one occasion. Of the bridges which debonded the average number of debonds was 1.7, with the first debond happening on average 10.7 months after placement (range 1-42 months). Fifty-seven (14 per cent) debonded on one occasion only; 25 (6 per cent) debonded twice and 18 (5 per cent) debonded on three or four occasions. The length of clinical service was a significant factor in relation to debonding. A lower proportion of posterior than anterior bridges debonded and cantilevered and hybrid designs performed well. It is concluded that this investigation confirms the efficacy of resin-bonded bridgework used to replace both anterior and posterior teeth.