title: Postprocedural problems in an overdenture population: a longitudinal study.
abstract: This study reports on endodontic and other post-procedural problems experienced by overdenture patients from 1973 to 1996. There were 395 subjects enrolled in the study; 273 fulfilled the recall criteria. At recall, all subjects were examined by a single examiner, and appropriate maintenance care was performed. The 273 subjects had 666 abutments and 626 endodontically treated teeth; of these, 51 subjects had postprocedural problems in 81 teeth. Thus, 87.1% of the endodontically treated teeth had no postprocedural problems, and 12.9% had postprocedural problems. Of the subpopulation with postprocedural problems, the most common problem was endodontically treated teeth developing periradicular lesions (37.0%) because of recurrent caries causing loss of the restoration sealing the root canal. Twenty of the 30 teeth were successfully retreated. The next most common problem was vertical root fractures (30.9%), followed by vital teeth developing periradicular lesions (19.8%). Most of the failures could have been prevented by better oral hygiene. Vertical root fractures were statistically associated with abutments in the maxilla and opposed by natural teeth; protection of these abutments with thimble crowns could prevent fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics and Dows Institute for Dental Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. ronald-ettinger@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ettinger
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D000044:Dental Abutments; D003790:Dental Pulp Necrosis / Q000209:etiology; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003828:Denture, Overlay / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000209:etiology; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014082:Tooth Fractures / Q000209:etiology; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000293:injuries