Replacement of resin-based composite restorations in permanent teeth

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Restorative Dentistry
• Clinical Dentistry

Background:

• Composite resin restorations are widely used in dentistry.
• Understanding reasons for their replacement is crucial for improving longevity and patient outcomes.
• Factors influencing composite restoration failure require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the main reasons for composite resin restoration replacement.
• To assess the relationship between replacement reasons, patient gender, restoration failure duration, and cavity class.
• To determine the median longevity of replaced composite restorations.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted at Fatima Jinnah Dental Hospital, Karachi.
• Data from 413 patients were collected using specially designed proformas.
• Reasons for replacement included secondary caries, discoloration, fracture, and others, analyzed with the chi-square test.

Main Results:

• Secondary caries was the most frequent reason for replacement (52.3%), followed by discoloration (16.9%) and fracture (12.6%).
• Significant associations were found between gender and replacement reasons (p < 0.001).
• A highly significant difference existed between cavity classes and replacement reasons (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Secondary caries is the predominant cause for composite filling replacement.
• The median longevity of composite restorations in this study sample was 3.0 years.
• Findings highlight the need for strategies to mitigate secondary caries and improve restoration durability.