The ultimate guide to restoration longevity in England and Wales. Part 2: Amalgam restorations - time to next intervention and to extraction of the restored tooth

F J T Burke, P S K Lucarotti

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)
245 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Aim
It is the aim of this paper to present data on the survival of amalgam restorations by analysis of the time to re-intervention on the restorations and time to extraction of the restored tooth, and to discuss the factors which may influence this.

Methods
A data set was established, consisting of General Dental Services' patients, this being obtained from all records for adults (aged 18 or over at date of acceptance) in the GDS of England and Wales between 1990 and 2006. The data consist of items obtained from the payment claims submitted by GDS dentists to the Dental Practice Board (DPB) in Eastbourne, Sussex, UK. This study examined the recorded intervals between placing an amalgam restoration and re-intervention on the tooth, and the time to extraction of the restored tooth.

Results
Data for more than three million different patients and more than 25 million courses of treatment were included in the analysis. Included were all records for adults (aged 18 or over at date of acceptance). Over 7 million amalgam restorations were included over 15 years, of which 2.5 million had a re-intervention and, in over half a million cases, the restored tooth was extracted. The Kaplan-Meier Analysis indicated that, overall, 41% of all amalgam restorations had not required an intervention within the first fifteen years after placement. Principal factors which influenced survival of the restoration and the restored tooth were age of patient and size of cavity, with patients with a history of high annual dental treatment costs having amalgam restorations which survive less well than those of patients who have lower annual dental treatment costs.

Conclusions
Among the factors influencing amalgam restoration longevity are the size of the cavity, the age of the patient and the patient's history of treatment.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)789-800
Number of pages12
JournalBritish Dental Journal
Volume224
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25 May 2018

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