Periodontal conditions in patients treated with dental bridges

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The periodontal condition of 242 abutment teeth carrying full and partial crowns used for retaining dental bridges was compared with the periodontal condition of 242 contralateral teeth in the same patients. The periodontal condition was assessed by recording the Plaque Index (Silness and Löe 1964), Gingival Index (Löe and Silness 1963) and by measuring pocket depth according to Glavind and Löe (1967). The position of the retainer margins in relation to the gingival crest was recorded according to the Margin Index (Silness 1970). Abutments carrying complete crowns with full coverage showed larger amounts of soft deposits, more severe gingivitis and increased depth of the periodontal pockets compared to the contralateral teeth. This was the case whether or not patients had received instruction in methods to improve the oral hygiene. In instructed patients, the periodontal condition of abutments carrying complete crowns with limited coverage did not differ significantly from those of the control teeth. This was also the case for teeth carrying partial crowns with limited coverage in instructed patients.