A 15-year clinical evaluation of fixed prosthodontics

The purpose of the present study was to examine failures of fixed prosthodontics during a period of 15 years and to evaluate the quality of those bridges remaining after this period of time. The study group consisted of 102 patients who received 108 bridges made by the senior students at the Dental Faculty. University of Oslo, in 1967/68. All bridges were made of type-3 casting gold and heat-cured acrylic veneering. The mean age of the patients at the beginning of the study was 48 years. Of the original group of 102 patients, 88 attended the clinical examination after 5 years, 71 after 10 years, and 55 after 15 years. Of the 343 abutment teeth 25% were root-filled and restored with post and core. During the 15 years' observation period 26 bridges were lost or had to be remade because of failures. The mean time of service for these bridges were 10.5 years. The failure rate was 4% after 5 years, 12% after 10 years and 32% after 15 years. A modification of the CDA rating system was used for evaluation of the clinical quality of the restorations after 15 years. Between 5% and 14% of the units were recorded as 'not acceptable' for the different characteristics evaluated.