A 5-year evaluation of semipermanent composite resin crowns

The use of composite resin crowns in the restoration of traumatized and hypoplastic permanent incisors has proved to be of great clinical and aesthetic value for the pedodontic practice. Due to the composite resin materials and the acid etch technique, an easy method of making and retaining the restorations is at hand. The present study deals with long-term observations of composite resin crowns in restoring Ellis Class II and Class III coronal fractures of traumatized permanent incisors. In all, 253 composite resin crowns were controlled every year for a minimum of 5 years. In no case was an intermediate resin layer applied on etched enamel before the restoration material was placed. Surface, marginal and "body" discoloration, marginal leakage, marginal caries, abrasion, and fractures were controlled. The study demonstrated that discoloration of the surface of the restorations, and a discoloration of the restorative material not restricted to its surface ("body" discoloration) were the most frequent causes for considering the crowns as semipermanent restorations. The other factors seemed to be of minor clinical significance.