Partial Ceramic Crowns Prepared by Dental Students: Clinical Performance Up to Five Years

Partial ceramic crowns (PCCs) are an accepted treatment option for the restoration of posterior teeth with deficient tooth substance. Data on the survival of PCCs fabricated by dental students are scarce. The aim of this retrospective clinical study was to investigate the clinical performance and longevity of PCCs placed by dental students in the last year of their training program at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Eighty-eight patients who had received at least one PCC (n=108) in the program were considered for clinical assessment; their records were analyzed to detect previous complications or failures; and they were contacted by telephone. Criteria regarding aesthetic, functional, and biological aspects were rated with a scoring system from 1=clinically excellent to 5=clinically poor. The response rate was 66.3% (55 of 83 included patients), and 72.2% (n=78) of the PCCs were included in the analysis. Five PCCs had been lost within ten to 78 months after treatment. Six PCCs were recorded as failures (score 5), and ten received clinically unsatisfactory gradings (score 4). The risk of a clinically poor outcome was 14% after five years (86% survival), while the overall success rate was 63.5%. These results suggest that the clinical procedure of PCCs was successfully implemented by these students with satisfactory clinical survival.