Survival of dental restorations in young patients

The aim of this study was to show how the survival of restorations placed in teeth of young patients varied with the age of the patient at the time of treatment. Data from the treatment records of 113 regularly attending patients at one practice were collected, and the fate and survival of 1327 restorations was determined from the sequences of treatment of each permanent tooth. Occlusal restorations occurred most frequently (37.6%) and together with the MO and DO restorations (22.6%) accounted for more than half of the restorations in the study. The proportion of replaced restorations increased with increasing patient age at the time of treatment, from 33% to 56%. The survival of all restorations improved the older the patient at the time of treatment, from 40% to 77% surviving 5 yr. The implications for the treatment of carious young permanent teeth are considered.