[Four year's clinical evaluation of glass fiber reinforced resin-bonded fixed partial denture as a periodontal splint to replace lost anterior teeth].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical performance of glass fiber reinforced resin-bonded fixed partial denture(GFR-RBFPD) as a periodontal splint on abutment teeth with reduced periodontal support.
Methods: Thirty fixed-fixed GFR-RBFPD were delivered to restore anterior partial edentulous dentitions. The adjacent abutment teeth had severely reduced periodontal support and were not indicated for full crown retained FPD. The success rate and functional survival rate had been recorded and the periodontal condition had been evaluated for 4 years. The results were statistically analyzed with single factor variance analysis and chi square test(α=0.05).
Results: In the first, second, and third year following restoration, one connector fractured in each year and they were repaired with adhesive resin and the pontics were kept in place for function. In the third and fourth years after restoration, there was one pontic displacement with fracture of connectors. The total survive rate was 83%(25/30) and the functional survival rate was 93% (28/30) at the end of the fourth year. The main reason of failure was fracture of connector. About 22%(13/60) of the adjacent teeth showed marginal bone height decrease, while the other 78% (47/60) increased with statistic significant difference from one year after the restoration to the end of the observation term(P<0.05). The periodontal condition of the adjacent teeth was improved after the restoration.
Conclusions: The four years clinical evaluation indicates that the GFR-RBFPD may be used as fixed prostheses to replace lost one to three anterior teeth with reduced periodontal support of abutment teeth.