An investigation of aspects of design of resin-bonded bridges in general dental practice and hospital services.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the design of resin-bonded bridges (RBBs) by dentists, the quality of information provided to a dental laboratory, and aid identification of best practice.


METHODS
A retrospective case series study of slips for RBB construction, sent by hospital and general dental practitioners to a dental laboratory based in a postgraduate dental institute in Scotland, UK.


RESULTS
384 forms were reviewed. For single-tooth replacements, 40% of designs for upper anterior bridges and 46% for lower posterior bridges were fixed-fixed (F-F) when a cantilever design was a better option. Thirty-six (9.3%) of RBB designs involved double abutting. On the laboratory forms, fewer than five (1%) cases included instructions about the thickness of the metal framework and in 48% there was no reference to the extension of the metal framework.


CONCLUSIONS
For single-tooth replacements, a relatively high percentage of dentists prescribed a fixed-fixed design for RBBs, despite the evidence advocating the use of a cantilever design. A significant number of dentists used double abutments. The information provided to the laboratory for the construction of resin-bonded bridges was often insufficient.
Patsiatzi
Eleni
E
Department of Restorative Dentistry, Edinburgh Dental Institute, Edinburgh, UK.
Grey
Nick J A
NJ
D003796:Dental Service, Hospital; D003779:Denture Design; D016379:Denture, Partial, Fixed, Resin-Bonded; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007754:Laboratories, Dental; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies