title: A retrospective cohort study of metal-cast resin- bonded fixed dental prostheses after at least 16 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective cohort study evaluated metal-cast silan-coated three-unit resin-bonded fixed dental prostheses (RBFDPs) after at least 16 years and identified covariates affecting the survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 37 patients with 42 RBFDPs placed by one operator between 1986 and 1993 were recalled and invited for a clinical examination in conjunction with scrutiny of clinical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen RBFDPs were lost to follow-up after an average of 58.5 months (SD = 39.4) and considered unaccounted for, 10 failed prior to the research recall and had a survival of 130.2 months (SD = 68.3), and 19 were still in function with a mean survival of 236.2 months (SD = 24.7). The estimated, cumulative survival via Kaplan-Meier analysis of the total number of 43 RBFDPs resulted in 95% (SE = 4%) survival after 5 years, 88% (SE = 6%) after 10 years and 66% (SE = 9%) after 20 years. No covariates were found having a significant effect on the survival rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RBFDPs have an acceptable clinical survival although lower than conventional FDPs and single implants. They should therefore be considered as a temporary provision, as a provision for geriatric or medically-compromised patients because of the simplicity of the provision, as a less expensive alternative, and for patients where the amount of bone loss impedes the use of dental implants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, University of Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Faris
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Younes
authors.forename: Filiep
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raes
authors.forename: Linda Van
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Berghe
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De Bruyn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002858:Chromium Alloys; D003035:Cobalt; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003761:Dental Impression Technique; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D016379:Denture, Partial, Fixed, Resin-Bonded; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002858:Chromium Alloys; D003035:Cobalt