Reasons for Removal of FPDs and Possibilities of Consecutive Treatment

Objectives: Successful treatment with fixed partial denture (FPD) besides patient's satisfaction with aesthetics, chewing, speech and other factors, includes long survival rate of FPD. Objectives of this study were to analyze the reasons for removal of old FPDs, status of abutment teeth after removal and evaluation of possibilities for the same consecutive treatment in correlation to patient's dental visits, oral hygiene and education level. Methods: Standard clinical examination was performed upon the patients' first visit to the University Dental Clinic. Results: In 60 women and 40 men the most of FPDs were 6-10 years old. Only 44% of the patients were able to receive identical consecutive therapy after the old FPDs removal. Most of the patients had old FPDs made from Pd-Ag or gold alloy with acrylic veneers, and 7% had metal-ceramic FPDs. Reasons for removal of old FPDs were: aesthetics deficiency in 31%, pain in 24%, movements of FPD due to severe root caries or de-cementation in 13%, food retention in 12%, chewing problems in 11%, or other causes in 9%. After the removal of old FPDs only 31% of abutments were prepared satisfactory. The height of abutments was satisfactory in only 36%. A total of 47% abutments had circular root caries and 18% were completely destructed by caries. This was in correlation with irregular dental visits (r=0.73, p<0.05) and poor oral hygiene (r=0.65, p<0.05), as well as with low educational level (r=0.53, p<0.05). Conclusion: Previous FPDs had not been made by a specialist of prosthodontics, and the fact that 69% of abutments were not properly prepared, indicate the need for additional prosthodontic education of dentists in general practice.