10 YEARS CLINICAL-EVALUATION OF 3 LUTING CEMENTS

Objective: The aim of the present clinical longitudinal study was to o bserve, over 10 years, the prognosis of abutment teeth restored with f ixed prostheses retained by two glass ionomer luting cements and one c onventional zinc phosphate cement. Methods: Three dentists prepared 13 5 abutment teeth in 61 patients to retain 81 fixed prostheses. The pro stheses were retained by two glass ionomer luting cements (Ketac-Cem, Fuji Ionomer), or a conventional zinc phosphate cement (De Trey Zinc Z ement Improved). The patients were examined yearly for 10 years. Resul ts: Post-operative hypersensitivity occurred in five teeth restored wi th glass ionomer luting cement. The prevailing reason for abutment too th failure was secondary caries (n = 21) and pulp necrosis (n = 5). No n-parametric survival estimates indicated that 80-85% of the abutment teeth remained intact after 5 years and 71-81% after 10 years. Conclus ions: The 10-year results indicate that the prognosis of abutment teet h restored with fixed prostheses is good, regardless of whether a glas s ionomer or a zinc phosphate luting cement is used. Copyright (C) 199 6 Elsevier Science Ltd.