Long-term behavior of double crown retained dentures with metal and metal-free secondary crowns and frameworks made of Vectris© on all-ceramic primary crowns: a prospective, randomized clinical trial up to 14 years

Ten-year clinical performance of non-precious metal double crowns with friction pins in severely reduced dentitions—a retrospective study

Objectives

This follow-up study aimed at collecting long-term data for removable partial dentures (RPDs) retained by double crowns with spark-eroded friction pins (DCP) and comparing them in the presence of severely reduced dentition (SRD) and non-SRD (NSRD, i.e. residual dentition with more than three abutment teeth) after a 10-year wearing period.

Materials and methods

A total of 158 participants (n = 71, 44.9% women) aged 62.5 ± 12.7 years with 182 prostheses on 520 abutment teeth were followed up between 2006 and 2022. The SRD group included 144 RPDs supported by 314 abutment teeth. The data collection was performed retrospectively. 10-year survival rates of RPDs and abutment teeth were determined using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test for SRD and NSRD, among others. Cox regression analyses were conducted to isolate risk factors for the survival of both RPDs and abutment teeth.

Results

The 10-year cumulative survival rate of all abutment teeth was 65.6% with significantly lower values in the SRD group (53.5%) (p < 0.001). The survival rate for all RPDs was 65.5%. The SRD group showed lower survival rates (57.9%) (p = 0.004). The number and location of the abutment teeth had a significant influence on the survival rates of the RPDs and the abutment teeth. Age, sex, jaw, relining, and vitality had a significant influence on the abutment teeth survival rates.

Conclusions

RPDs showed an acceptable clinical survival rate after 10 years. The number, location, and vitality of abutment teeth were factors that influenced the survival of both RPDs and abutment teeth.

Clinical relevance

Consideration of the influencing factors found can help improve the prognostic assessment of double crown-retained dentures in the context of prosthetic therapy planning.

Digital technology for fabrication of removable dental prosthesis with double crowns combining fiber-reinforced composite and zirconia

PATIENTS

This clinical report describes the process for fabricating a double-crown-retained removable dental prosthesis combining a fiber-reinforced composite and zirconia using digital technology. An 83-year-old woman presented with gingival swelling around the maxillary right premolar. The swollen tooth was the abutment tooth of a cross-arch fixed partial denture. An intraoral scanner (IOS) and computer-aided design/manufacturing as digital technology were used to plan treatment with a double-crown-retained removable dental prosthesis. A metal-free prosthesis using zirconia for the primary crown and fiberglass-reinforced composite resin for the secondary crown was planned, and the patient consented to the treatment plan. After autotransplantation of a tooth as one of the abutments, the IOS was used to obtain digital scans of the prepared surface of the abutment teeth, opposing dentition, and occlusal relationships. First, primary crowns were milled using zirconia. Next, the intraoral scanner obtained a pick-up impression of the primary crowns, and secondary crowns were designed and milled from the fiber-reinforced composite. After delivery, the patient expressed satisfaction with the functionality, esthetics, and fit of the double-crown-retained removable dental prosthesis.

DISCUSSION

Digital technology offers many advantages such as efficient fabrication of double crowns, reduced material costs, improved biocompatibility, and good aesthetics of metal-free materials.

CONCLUSION

This clinical report describes the application of digital technology for the fabrication of a double-crown-retained removable dental prosthesis combining a fiber-reinforced composite and zirconia, resulting in patient satisfaction.

Retentive force of conical crowns combining zirconia and fiber-reinforced composite

PURPOSE

This study investigated the retentive force of conical crowns combining zirconia primary and fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) secondary crowns and their changes due to aging.

METHODS

Zirconia primary crowns were produced with a convergence angle of 3°. Thirty-two secondary crowns were milled from FRC and divided into two groups (n = 16/group) based on the polishing method of the secondary crown inner surfaces: diamond paste (Group 1) and silicone points (Group 2). After fitting the secondary crowns with different fitting forces (F), loosening forces (L) were determined. Tests were repeated after an occlusal stop (OS) was added to the secondary crown and artificial aging (10,000 insertion/removal cycles). Data were compared using the Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests.

RESULTS

Crowns without an OS showed L/F ratios of 0.4586 (Group 1) and 0.4104 (Group 2). With an OS, maximum retention was not significantly affected by the polishing method and could be limited to L_max = 19.31±7.77 N (Group 1) and L_max = 16.12±5.92 N (Group 2).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the combination of conical zirconia primary and FRC secondary crowns can obtain acceptable retentive forces that are not affected by aging if the inner surfaces are polished with diamond paste. OS generation could limit maximum retention, but should be adjusted if the target value of 10 N is not to be exceeded. With a change of the convergence angle to 4°, L/F values for crowns without an OS would be close to 1/3, which is considered ideal for conical crowns.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The combination of zirconia primary crowns and FRC secondary crowns was found feasible to ensure the required retention for clinical use over a long time span. Furthermore, it offers an alternative to metal-based restorations while ensuring high levels of biocompatibility and esthetics.

Performance of PEEK based telescopic crowns, a comparative study

OBJECTIVE

Telescopic crowns are suitable components of partial dentures to efficiently anchor dental supra-structures to teeth or dental implants and achieve high chewing performance and wear comfort. Usually alloy- or metal-based structures are used for the primary and the secondary crowns. The advantage is the possibility to produce precise structures with a high perfection and sufficient friction force, but the disadvantage is the corrosion instability. The recent introduction of zirconia ceramics has enabled the fabrication of ceramic primary crowns, thus reducing corrodibility. The novel application of the high-performance polymer polyetheretherketone (PEEK) as another metal-free alternative material offers a new perspective for such applications. Therefore, the aim of this work was to assess the performance of telescopic crowns of PEEK by comparing telescopic crowns based on the combination of PEEK (prim. crown) + PEEK (sec. crown) with the pairings ZrO₂ (prim. crown) + PEEK (sec. crown) and CoCr-alloy (prim. crown) + PEEK (sec. crown).

METHODS

All specimens were CAD/CAM planned and manufactured based on a model of a tooth 26. One master dental technician performed the post-treatment. For each group of material pairing, n = 9 telescopic crown pairs were manufactured and tested. Herein not only the maximum retention force was measured but also the retention force vs. pull-off distance were analyzed. As there is no commonly accepted test protocol available, the influence of various pull off speeds were tested as well. All measurements were first made with three blocks of three crowns (3C), subsequently with three blocks of two crowns (2C) and finally with nine single crowns (1C). The long-term behavior was estimated by performing 10.000 cycles, which is related to a life-time of more than 10 years.

RESULTS

The maximum retention force in case of PEEK + PEEK was higher in comparison to the other tested material pairings. In the range between 1 and 10 mm/ min pull off speed there was no significant influence by the pull off speed. More influence on the friction force would be expected by changes of the number of the crowns acting simultaneously. The friction force was decreasing with decreasing number of crowns but not linearly in any tested case. The long-term test has shown that the friction force remained constant.

SIGNIFICANCE

The performance of PEEK + PEEK telescopes is comparable with the usually applied material pairings. Over long time no loss in retention force could be observed. The retention force - distance progression in the PEEK + PEEK pairing offers more security against a possible loss of retention during repair or relining. For further tests of the performance of telescopic crowns or to estimate of friction force limits, a setup with at least two, but preferably three, crowns tested in parallel is suggested.

Comparative prospective clinical evaluation of computer aided design/ computer aided manufacturing milled BioHPP PEEK inlays and Zirconia inlays

Aim

The aim of the present study was to clinically assess the performance of BioHPP PEEK material when used for inlay restoration and to compare it with widely used zirconia inlays. This clinical study was undertaken to evaluate their performance in terms of retention, colour matching, marginal discoloration, marginal adaptation, secondary caries, surface texture, wear-anatomic form, postoperative sensitivity and fracture resistance using the modified Ryge's criteria.

Settings and Design

In vivo - prospective clinical study.

Material and Methods

A total of 40 patients were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria requiring inlays. The patients were further divided in two groups: Group A - Consisted of 20 permanent maxillary and mandibular carious posterior teeth restored with BioHPP PEEK inlays and Group B - Consisted of 20 permanent maxillary and mandibular carious posterior teeth restored with CAD/CAM zirconia inlays (sintered monolithic zirconia, Zolid, Amann Girrbach AG, Koblach, Austria). Two prosthodontists, who were blinded to the study groups, evaluated the restorations. In cases of widely different scores, the observers re-evaluated the restorations and reached a consensus. Restorations were evaluated at the end of 1 week (base line), 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months, using modified Ryge's criteria.

Statistical Analysis Used

Chi- square' test, 'Fisher's exact' test and 'z' test.

Results

90% of the BioHPP PEEK inlays were rated satisfactory in comparison to 95% of zirconia inlays. Sensitivity score was 10% in BioHPP PEEK inlays and 15% in zirconia inlays. No significant difference was encountered with other parameters in this study.

Conclusion

The BioHPP PEEK when used as indirect aesthetic restorations was found to be satisfactory with relatively low rate of fracture over an observation period of one year in comparison to zirconia inlays in posterior teeth. The BioHPP PEEK can be a suitable alternative with high level of accuracy in terms of retention, marginal quality and aesthetics.

Retentive force of telescopic crowns combining fiber-reinforced composite and zirconia

PURPOSE

This study investigated changes in the retentive force of telescopic crowns fabricated by combining a zirconia primary crown and a fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) secondary crown.

METHODS

Primary zirconia crowns were produced with a nominal convergence angle of 0°. Forty-eight secondary crowns were milled from FRC and divided into three study groups (n=16/group) based on milling parameters and post-milling adjustment. The offset parameter used for the final milling step of the inner crown surface was adjusted for a tight initial fit in Group 1 (milling offset: +10 µm, i.e., 2 × 10 µm = 20 µm lower inner diameter compared with the CAD file of the crown) and for improved initial fit (milling offset: -10 µm, i.e., an enlargement of the inner crown diameter by 2 × 20 µm = 40 µm in relation to Group 1) in Groups 2 and 3. The inner surfaces of the secondary crowns were polished with diamond paste in Groups 1 and 2, and silicon points were used for Group 3. The retentive force was measured using a universal testing device. The secondary crown was placed on the primary crown, with the final fitting force set to a load of 100 N. This test was conducted before and after aging (10,000 insertion/removal cycles) under dry and wet conditions. A generalized linear model was used to estimate the differences in the retentive force to elucidate the effects of the milling parameters and polishing methods.

RESULTS

We realized an initial retentive force of approximately 10 N. In Groups 2 and 3, the difference was statistically significant between the dry and wet conditions before aging (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the dry and wet conditions after aging in any of the groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

An adequate initial retentive force can be achieved with telescopic crowns combining zirconia and FRC.

A systematic review of digital removable partial dentures. Part I: Clinical evidence, digital impression, and maxillomandibular relationship record

PURPOSE

This study comprehensively reviewed the current status of digital workflows in fabricating removable partial dentures (RPDs) using evidence from clinical trials and case reports.

STUDY SELECTION

We performed a systematic review of the literature on the materials and fabrication of RPDs using digital technologies published in online databases from 1980 to 2020. We selected eligible articles from the search results, retrieved information on digital RPDs from these, and conducted a qualitative analysis. We report evidence from clinical papers and case reports, digital impression-taking methods, and maxillomandibular relationship (MMR) records.

RESULTS

A case report electronically published in 2019 introduced a clasp-retained RPD fabricated via a full-digital workflow without a gypsum definitive cast. Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing of double-crown-retained RPDs with nonmetal materials were described in some case reports. Intraoral scanners were used to obtain digital impressions and MMR records in the fabrication of digital RPDs, which have potential advantages for reducing the number of clinical appointments and simplifying laboratory procedures. Evidence from clinical trials is scarce; a randomized controlled trial reported higher patient satisfaction with digital clasp-retained RPDs than with conventional RPDs.

CONCLUSIONS

Full-digital RPDs can be fabricated without a gypsum definitive cast. However, the indication for full-digital RPDs is limited to cases with Kennedy Class III/IV partially edentulous arches with several missing teeth. Challenges in digital impression-taking and MMR recording remain to be solved to extend these indications. More evidence from clinical trials is required to evaluate the efficacy and usefulness of digital R PDs.

Electroplated telescopic retainers with zirconia primary crowns: 3-year results from a randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to investigate the clinical outcome for electroplated telescopic removable dental prostheses (E-RDPs) with zirconia primary crowns.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty E-RDPs, with primary crowns manufactured from either cobalt-chromium alloy or zirconia, were fabricated for 56 participants. Electroplating was used to produce gold copings directly on the telescopic primary crowns. These copings were bonded intra-orally to the prosthesis framework. After 36 months, prosthesis survival and number of complications were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed by the use of Kaplan-Meier modeling and the log-rank test.

RESULTS

Survival of the E-RDPs, 96.4% after 3 years, was identical in both groups. The need for aftercare was high but not significantly different: technical complications were observed for 37% and 42.9% of the prostheses for the zirconia and cobalt-chromium alloy primary crowns, respectively. Fracture of composite veneer was the most frequent complication (59.1%). The incidence of fractured abutment teeth, decementation, and endodontic problems was 7.9% in the zirconia group and 14% in the control group. The majority of abutment-level complications were treated restoratively. A significant difference was found for maximum probing depth at the abutment teeth: In the zirconia group, it decreased by 0.2 mm, whereas it increased by 0.8 mm in the control group (p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

After 3 years of observation, survival of zirconia E-RDPs was favorable and comparable with that of established double-crown-retained prostheses. Further studies must clarify whether there are benefits of zirconia primary crowns for periodontal health.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Although these results encourage the use of zirconia primary crowns, more research is necessary to reduce the number of complications observed for secondary telescopic crowns, for example, failure of the veneer.