Survival of molar teeth after resective periodontal therapy - A retrospective study

• Published in: Journal of clinical periodontology Vol. 39; no. 9; pp. 850 - 860
• Main Authors: Lee, Ka Leung, Corbet, Esmonde F., Leung, W. Keung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2012; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Age Factors; Aged; Alveolar Bone Loss - complications; Biological and medical sciences; Bone loss; Clinical outcomes; Demography; Dental roots; Dental Scaling - statistics & numerical data; Dentistry; Facial bones, jaws, teeth, parodontium: diseases, semeiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; furcation defects; Furcation Defects - complications; Furcation Defects - surgery; Humans; Life span; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mobility; Molar - surgery; Molars; Motivation; Non tumoral diseases; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; periodontal splints; periodontitis; proportional hazards models; Regression analysis; Retreatment - statistics & numerical data; Retrospective Studies; Survival; Survival Analysis; Teeth; Tooth Extraction - statistics & numerical data; tooth loss; Tooth Loss - etiology; Tooth Loss - prevention & control; Tooth Mobility - complications; Tooth Mobility - prevention & control; Tooth Root - surgery; Treatment Failure; treatment outcome; Prognosis; Stomatology; furcation defects; Molar tooth; Dentistry; Survival; tooth loss; treatment outcome; Periodontal disease; Treatment; Periodontitis; Bucco-dental health; molars; periodontal splints; Furcation defect; proportional hazards models; Splint
• ISSN: 0303-6979; 1600-051X; 1600-051X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2012.01918.x

Aim To study outcomes of molar teeth after resective therapy performed with the intention to prolong the lifespan of teeth having one or more unsaveable roots, and without which tooth extraction would be inevitable. Material and Methods Clinical records of 149 subjects who had undergone resective therapy were retrieved. Demography and dental history were recorded, and a recall examination was undertaken. Cox regression models were performed. Results Of the 149 resective therapies, 132 (88.6%) were performed for periodontal reasons. Eighty‐nine (59.7%) teeth subjected to resective therapies had been extracted by the time of recall (mean 10 years post‐resection). The median survival period was 74 months. Factors significantly associated with shorter survival duration of teeth subjected to resective therapy were: age at resective therapy; pre‐operative radiographic bone height of the remaining root(s) <50%; pre‐treatment mobility II or above and not being splinted to neighbouring teeth nor incorporated as a bridge abutment. Conclusion There was increased risk of tooth loss with increasing age at resection, grade II mobility or above, and reduced pre‐operative radiographic bone heights around roots to remain. Splinting of a resected tooth to neighbouring teeth appeared to confer a protective effect towards its survival.