A clinical re-examination of patients treated with pinledge-crowns

A group consisting of forty patients received a clinical and radiological re-examination, of a cross-sectional type, to examine the effects of pinledge-crowns on teeth and periodontal tissues. The mean age of the material, which consisted of patients treated at the Department of Prosthetics, University of Umeå, during the period February 1969-November 1971, was 48.6 years (18 male, 22 female). In these patients fifty-one pinledge-crowns had been inserted, in 88% of the cases on a canine tooth. In every person, the contralateral tooth served as a control tooth. The teeth were examined with regard to the frequency of failure (expressed as failure rate %/year), the presence of caries, and the periodontal status. The results showed that of the total number of pinledge-crowns (fifty-one), twelve had been removed before the time of examination. At the examination it was found that one crown had extensive caries, which required a revision of the crown, and one tooth had a non-sensitive pulp with a periapical osteitis. These fourteen (27.5%) pinledge-crowns were classified as failures. The value of the failure rate expressed as %/year was, after 8 years, 3.43 pinledge/year or 3.13, if the patient was used as a unit. Concerning the periodontal effects, the difference between teeth fitted with pinledge-crowns and control teeth was small.