[Residual caries and prosthetic treatment]

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Prosthodontics
• Cariology

Context:

• Prosthetic dental treatment involves preparing teeth, which can be affected by underlying conditions.
• Residual caries, or decay left behind after treatment, is a potential complication.
• Assessing the impact of residual caries on prosthetic success is crucial for clinical practice.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the effect of residual caries on pulpal health and prosthetic treatment outcomes.
• To compare the incidence of pulpal lesions in teeth with and without old fillings removed before prosthetic preparation.

Summary:

• This study observed 223 teeth before and 15 months after prosthetic treatment.
• Teeth were categorized into intact, old fillings removed, and old fillings not removed groups.
• Pulpal disease affected 10.76% of teeth, with significantly higher rates in teeth where old fillings were not removed compared to intact teeth.

Impact:

• Undetected residual caries is a significant factor contributing to prosthetic treatment failure.
• Replacing old fillings before prosthetic treatment is advisable to mitigate risks of pulpal damage.
• Findings support proactive management of residual caries for improved long-term prosthetic success.