Decision-making in the provision of extra-coronal restorations

Decision-making when choosing an extra-coronal restoration for a molar tooth is often multifactorial, requiring consideration for material properties, the underlying tooth tissue, aesthetics and functional requirements. This article reviews the various factors associated with the decision-making when considering an extra-coronal restoration for a molar tooth. The current literature is disseminated and compared to results obtained from clinicians at the Dental Pan Society meeting in 2007. Dentists were seemingly less likely to consider restorations with greater complications for themselves than they were for their patients. The various implications of the results are discussed.

With the plethora of dental materials available, the clinician has a wide choice of restorations. As clinicians become increasingly aware of the relative complications associated with different restorations, they are less likely to choose those that may result in problems, such as loss of vitality. In comparison, patients, if not kept fully informed, are unlikely to be aware of these problems and therefore may be happy to accept a more 'aesthetic' restoration. This decision dynamic-is examined in this article.