title: Zirconia posterior fixed partial dentures: 5-year clinical results of a prospective clinical trial.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate three- and four-unit posterior fixed partial dentures (FPDs) with zirconia frameworks after 5 years of function. Of the initial 30 subjects, 25 patients with 25 FPDs were examined after a mean follow-up period of 62.1 months. Five patients were not available for recall visits. Two FPDs failed before the 60-month evaluation because of framework fracture or delamination of the veneering ceramic after endodontic treatment. The 5-year survival rate was 92%. Based on these results, it can be suggested that zirconia frameworks have sufficient mechanical requirements for use in the stress-bearing posterior region. Major fracture of the ceramic veneer could be related to inadequate framework design or bruxism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen, Germany. johannes.schmitt@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goellner
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lohbauer
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wichmann
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003829:Denture, Partial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015040:Zirconium
chemical_list: D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide