THE REASONS FOR REPLACEMENT AND THE AGE OF FAILED RESTORATIONS IN GENERAL DENTAL PRACTICE

A cross-sectional survey among practitioners in Sweden treating adult patients was initiated to record the reasons for replacement of compos ite, amalgam, and glass ionomer restorations and to compare the findin gs with those obtained about 16 years ago. The age of the failed resto rations was also recorded. The clinical diagnosis of secondary caries was the main reason for tile replacement of all three types of restora tions. This diagnosis was significantly higher for amalgam restoration s than for composite and glass ionomer restorations. No statistically significant differences could be found in the diagnosis of secondary c aries between composite and glass ionomer restorations. Major changes in bir reasons for replacement of composite restorations were noted by comparing the present results with those from 16 years ago. A notable difference was seen with regard to a decrease in the relative frequen cy of replacements due to composite degradation/wear and an increase i n the replacements due to bulk and marginal fractures. The reasons For replacement of amalgam restorations had remained much the same over t he 16 years. The report that half the glass ionomer restorations repla ced had the diagnosis secondary caries was by far tile most surprising result. The age of the failed restorations was reported for a limited number of restorations. The median age was about 6 years for composit e, almost 9 years for amalgam, and just more than 3 years for glass io nomer restorations.