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Evidence summaries

Survival and Complication Rates of Fixed Partial Dentures (Fpds)

Survival rates for fixed partial dentures may be high but biological and technical complications are common. Level of evidence: "C"

A systematic review 1 including 21 studies (16 different cohorts) with a total of 1123 subjects (1336 FPDs supported by 3578 oral implants) was abstracted in DARE (16 prospective and 5 retrospective studies). Implant survival at 5 years was 95.4% (95% CI 93.9 to 96.5; 15 studies). More recent studies had significantly lower failure rates than studies published before 2000 (failure rate 48% lower, P=0.006). Survival at 10 years was 92.8% (95% CI 90 to 94.8; 6 studies). Fixed partial denture (FPD) survival at 5 years was 95% (95% CI 92.2 to 96.8; 14 studies with 1,289 FPDs). Significantly more metal ceramic FPDs survived compared with gold-acrylic FPDs (96.6% versus 90.4%, P=0.014). Survival at 10 years was 86.7% (95% CI 82.8 to 89.8; 3 studies with 219 FPDs). Success (FPD with no complications) at 5 years was 61.3% (95% CI 55.3 to 66.8; 4 studies, 266 patients). Cumulative biological complication rate at 5 years was 8.6% (95% CI 5.1 to 14.1; 9 studies with 751 FPDs). The most common technical complication was fracture of a veneer, with an estimated rate at 5 years of 13.2% (95% CI 8.3 to 20.6). The next most common technical complications were due to loss of screw access (8.2% of anchors at 5 years), abutments or occlusal screw loosening (5.8% at 5 years), fracture of abutments and occlusal screws (1.5% at 5 years and 2.5% at 10 years), and fracture of luting cement (2.9% at 5 years and 16% at 10 years). Fractures of implants were rare (0.4% at 5 years and 1.8% at 10 years).

    References

    • Pjetursson BE, Tan K, Lang NP, Brägger U, Egger M, Zwahlen M. A systematic review of the survival and complication rates of fixed partial dentures (FPDs) after an observation period of at least 5 years. Clin Oral Implants Res 2004 Dec;15(6):625-42. [PubMed] [DARE]

Primary/Secondary Keywords