New Clinical Evaluation-Criteria for Denture-Teeth: 6-Months-Results of SR Phonares II

Objective:

To evaluate the clinical behavior of denture teeth after 6-months using new evaluation criteria.

Method:

43 removable dentures (partial/combination dentures, complete dentures, hybrid/implant-supported overdentures) were manufactured. In total 482 denture teeth (SR Phonares II, Ivoclar Vivadent, Schaan, FL) were used. The denture base material was randomly divided into 4 groups (IvoBase High-Impact, IvoBase Hybrid, SR Ivocap High-Impact, ProBase Cold, Ivoclar Vivadent). All dentures were examined after 6-months of clinical service by means of newly developed criteria for evaluation of denture teeth. These criteria (table 1) including evaluation of aesthetic, functional and biological properties are based on the FDI criteria for evaluation of indirect restorations (Hickel et al. 2010).

table1

Results:

Denture teeth were scored “excellent” to “good” for aesthetic, functional and biological properties after 6-months. Only the reattachment of 4 teeth to the denture base after retention loss leads to an inferior score.

Conclusion:

100% of the removable dentures presented an “excellent”/”good” clinical behavior after 6-months. The new evaluation criteria seem to be perfect for examination of removable prostheses concerning aesthetic, functional and biological properties. Due to an occlusal adjustment 16.8% of denture teeth showed small areas with silk-mat luster of grinded and polished surfaces (scored “good”). 41.3% of teeth showed localized plaque accumulation (scored “good”) at predilection areas (e.g. interdental), but only 8 patients were related to 80% of the localized plaque accumulation. Only 7 posterior teeth (1.5%, scored “good”) had minor cracks/chippings (<2mm²), 5 of these incidents occurred in 1 patient. 4 anterior teeth (0.8%) had to be reattached by dental technician due to retention loss. However, tooth-retention not only depends on denture teeth material, but also on the denture manufacturing process, e.g. wax remnants isolating denture tooth surface. In summary, SR Phonares II seems perfectly indicated to be used as denture teeth for removable prostheses.