Radiographic assessment of post-retained crowns in an adult Jordanian population.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to radiographically assess and compare the quality of post-retained crowns fabricated at the Dental Health Centre of the Jordan University of Science & Technology (JUST).


METHODS
Study data were collected in 2002 from existing dental records for all patients receiving treatment with post-retained crowns between October, 1997 and June, 1999. The posts were assessed radiographically to evaluate various aspects of the quality of post-retained crowns. All 129 posts were fabricated in the dental school.


RESULTS
The most-frequently restored teeth were the maxillary incisors (38.8%). Sixty-two percent of the posts were tapered, while 38% were parallel-sided. The mean length of the posts was 0.95 mm (SD 0.41) with a range between 0.22-2.85 mm. Caries was diagnosed radiographically in 10.8% of cases with lesions located on root surfaces in 64.3% of them, while 35.7% of lesions were within the root canal. Three posts (2.3%) were deviated from the line of the root canal in the mesio-distal plane. No evidence of root filling was found in 2.3% of the cases. In the remainder of teeth 15.5% had gutta percha extended to the radiographic apex of the tooth, while 59.7% fell 0.5-1 mm short of the radiographic apex. Gutta-percha was extruded beyond the apex in 22.5% of the teeth. Space between the end of the post and the root filling was found in 22.2%. The percentage of canals with apparently completely healthy periapical tissue was 51.2%. In the rest of the cases 34.8% had areas of radiolucency at or near the root apices and 14% demonstrated widening of the periodontal space around the root apex. Root resection had been completed in 2.3% cases. Signs of external resorption were apparent in one case (0.78%).


CONCLUSIONS
The standards of the treatment of the endodontically treated teeth made at the dental hospital were satisfactory but could be improved by a controlled academic supervisory environment and a strict scientific approach to fixed prosthodontics within the dental school.
Al-Hamad
Khaled Q
KQ
Department of Restorative Dentistry of the Faculty of Dentistry at the Jordan University of Science & Technology in Irbid, Jordan. khaled.m5@mailcity.com
Al-Omari
Mohamed
M
Al-Wahadni
Ahed
A
Darwazeh
Azmi
A
D000328:Adult; D003442:Crowns; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D011176:Post and Core Technique; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019553:Tooth, Nonvital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*