Reasons for the placement and replacement of crowns in general dental practice.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to apply established methods to survey reasons for the placement and replacement of crowns in general dental practice in the United Kingdom.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty-eight general dental practitioners were recruited. Participants recorded the principal reason for the provision of each initial and replacement crown they provided over a 12-week period.


RESULTS
Overall, data were collected from 92 practitioners in respect of 1714 patients and 2164 crowns, of which 1452 (67%) were initial placements and 712 (33%) replacements. The teeth most frequently crowned were maxillary incisors (33%), with 72% of the crowns surveyed being of the porcelain bonded to metal variety. Overall 64% of the initial placement crowns were provided because of restoration failure (26%) or tooth fracture (38%). The most common reason for crown replacement was crown failure (27%).


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that surveys of the type reported may provide new insights into the reasons for and pattern of provision of initial placement and replacement crowns in clinical practice. In this study the most common reason for the provision of initial placement crowns was tooth fracture. The most common reason for the replacement of crowns, notably porcelain jacket crowns, was crown fracture.
Central Clinic, Carlisle, UK. neilwilson73@tiscali.co.uk
Neil A
NA
Wilson
Shaun A
SA
Whitehead
Ivar A
IA
Mjör
Nairn H F
NH
Wilson
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003442:Crowns / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla; D016876:Metal Ceramic Alloys; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019233:Retreatment; D006113:United Kingdom
D016876:Metal Ceramic Alloys; D003776:Dental Porcelain