title: The survival rate of bridges. A study of 1674 bridges in 40 Dutch general practices.
abstract: The survival rate of 1674 bridges and the influence of several factors on the lifetime of bridges were analysed, based on data from patient records that belonged to a random sample of 40 Dutch general practices. It appears that the 12 year survival rate of the bridges is 87%. There is a significant difference in the survival rate between the bridges that meet and do not meet Ante's law, and only a weak significant difference between the bridges with vital vs. non-vital abutment teeth. Gender and age of the patient, length of the bridge, presence of a post and core build-up, or the construction of the bridge (conventional fixed vs. cantilever pontic) appear to have no influence on the survival rate of the bridges in this sample.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Function and Prosthetic Dentistry, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Leempoel
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Käyser
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Van Rossum
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: De Haan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003442:Crowns / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000044:Dental Abutments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003779:Denture Design; D003830:Denture, Partial, Fixed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003832:Denture, Partial, Removable / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011176:Post and Core Technique / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors