Early endodontic complications following fixed prosthodontic restorations

Abstract EN

Objective : The aim of this study was to record the incidence of endodontic treatment that had to be done for vital abutment teeth during tooth preparation or immediately after the completion of the prosthetic treatment.

Methods : The study group consisted of all patients who received prosthodontic treatment at King Hussein Medical Center from December 2003 to May 2007.

All the members of the study group received metalceramic restorations with at least one of the abutment teeth that had not received any form of root canal treatment prior to the construction of the restoration.

The abutment teeth were evaluated clinically and radiographically before preparation.

The teeth were prepared using rotary cutting instruments with air and water spray coolant.

Until the cementation of the final restorations, the prepared teeth were covered with temporary restorations.

Any case of pulp exposure or pulpitis during preparation or immediately after cementation of the final restoration or within one week after cementation was recorded.

Results : A total of 264 patients (101 female and 163 male) received 290 fixed partial dentures during the study period.

The mean age of the patients was 40 years ranging from 18 to 73 years.

For the 290 fixed partial dentures, there were 616 abutments and 415 pontics with an abutment / pontic ratio of 1.48 : 1.

Five hundred and seventy one of the abutment teeth (92.7%) were vital at the time of preparation and 45 teeth (7.3%) were endodontically treated.

Thirty-four (6%) of the vital abutment teeth subsequently required endodontic treatment.

Conclusion : In this study 6% of the vital abutment teeth required endodontic treatment during or immediately after cementation of the fixed partial dentures.

The mandibular molars, maxillary molars and mandibular anteriors respectively (6.9%, 6.7%, 6.7%) were the most common teeth to develop symptoms of endodontic complications