[A PhD completed. Restoration longevity: practice based research in the Netherlands]

Area of Science:

• Dental restorative materials
• Clinical dentistry
• Evidence-based dentistry

Background:

• Composite and indirect restorations are widely used in oral care.
• Clinical studies on the survival rates of restorations placed by general practitioners are limited.
• Understanding factors influencing restoration longevity is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of practice/operator, patient, and tooth/restoration factors on the longevity of direct dental restorations.
• To identify key risk factors associated with restoration failure.
• To provide evidence-based insights for general dental practitioners.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a large database of electronic patient files from general practitioners within the Practice-Based Research Network Nijmegen (PBRN).
• Analyzed restoration longevity data, considering various influencing factors.
• Employed statistical analysis to determine the significance of risk factors.

Main Results:

• Direct restorations placed by PBRN practitioners had a mean longevity of 12 years.
• Significant variations in restoration longevity were observed among practitioners.
• Individual patient risk factors, including general health, periodontal status, bruxism risk, and caries risk, were major determinants of restoration failure.
• Restorations in molars, those with multiple treated surfaces, and those in endodontically treated teeth exhibited a higher risk for needing restorative intervention.

Conclusions:

• Patient-specific factors, particularly caries risk, are critical for direct restoration longevity.
• Operator and practice characteristics contribute to variability in restoration survival rates.
• Identifying and managing patient and tooth-related risk factors can optimize the longevity of direct dental restorations.