Crown conditions and restoration type prior to endodontic treatment

Objectives: There has been a high increase in the number of endodontic treatments over the last years. Many factors that cause pulpal diseases are known; yet, traumatic malocclusion might be also an important factor that causes pulpal disease. The aim of this clinical study was to investigate the clinical crown situation and its possible relationship to a pulpal inflammatory proccess prior to root canal treatment. Methods: A total of 782 teeth from 545 endodontic patients (54,3%male; 45,7%female) in our dental school, were included in this study. The medical and dental examination and x-ray diagnose were recorded. The clinical condition of the crowns, which was of special interest, was classified into: healthy crowns, carious lesions, composite, amalgam or gold restorations and ceramic-type restorations. Results: The examined teeth were 61% maxillary and 39% mandibular. 26,3% of the teeth were anteriors, 31,2% were premolars and 42,5% were molars. The results showed that in most cases the teeth were restored with ceramic-type restorations (25,4%), 10,4% with gold crowns, 4,7% were teeth included in a bridge restorations, 13,9% were restored with composites, 3,7% with gold inlays or overlays, amalgam was found in 11,9% and telescopic restorations were seen in 1,5% of all cases. Untreated carious lesions were found in 21,1% and 7,4% of the teeth had a fracture or an endodontic-retreatment was necessary. 26,2% of the anteriors, 28,3% of the premolars and 22,9% of the molars had a ceramic-type restoration. Untreated carious lesions were found in 24,3% of the anteriors, 22,5% of the premolars and 18,1% of the molars. Conclusions: The results of this study provide evidence of a high percentage of ceramic-type restorations prior to endodontic treatment and that carious lesions are the main causal factor for endodontic treatment. Thus, further investigations concerning the relationship between traumatic malocclusion and ceramic-type restorations would be advisable.