Summary Review/Restorative Dentistry
Evidence-Based Dentistry (2005) 6, 74–75. doi:10.1038/sj.ebd.6400350
90% of fixed partial dentures survive 5 years
How long do conventional fixed partial dentures (FPDs) survive and how frequently do complications occur?
Address for correspondence: Ken Tan, Department of Restorative Dentistry National Dental Center Singapore, 5 Second Hospital Avenue, Singapore 168938, Singapore. E-mail: tken@pacific.net.sg
Pranay Sharma1
1Eastman Dental Institute, University College London, 256 Gray's Inn Road, London, UK
Tan K, Pjetursson BE, Lang NP, Chan ES. A systematic review of the survival and complication rates of fixed partial dentures (FPDs) after an observation period of at least 5 years — III. Conventional FPDs. Clin Oral Implants Res 2004 Dec; 15(6):654–666
Abstract
Data sources
PubMed (1966–April 2004) provided the primary data source along with the bibliographies from identified articles and reviews.
Study selection
As there were no randomised controlled trials, English language prospective and retrospective cohort studies were selected if they had a mean follow-up of 
5 years, included patients who were clinically examined at follow-up, reported details on suprastructures and described at least one-third of reconstructions as fixed partial dentures (FPDs).
Data extraction and synthesis
Two independent reviewers screened articles for inclusion. Disagreements were resolved by discussion and agreement determined by kappa. Three reviewers extracted data on the survival and success of the reconstructions and on biological and technical complications. Studies deemed sufficiently similar by design were pooled using negative binomial regression with robust standard errors. Ten-year survival risks were calculated using exp(-10 
failure rate) and 10-year failure risks using 1–S(10).
Results
17 retrospective and two prospective cohort studies including 1764 patients with 3548 FPDs analyzed in total. Meta-analysis was undertaken and after exclusion of one outlier a 10-year FPD survival of 92% was estimated. Only four studies provided information on FPD success — pooled complication rate was 34.1/1000 FPD years (95% CI 16–74). Exclusion of one outlier resulted in an estimated 10-year success of 81.1%. Considering biological complications, the estimated 10-years risk for caries at abutments was 9.5% (95% CI 4.6–89.9) while that for FPD loss due to caries and periodontal disease were 2.6% (95% CI 1.6–4.2) and 0.5% (95% CI 0.1–2.2), respectively. Estimated 10-year risks for technical complications were: 6.4% (95% CI 3.9–10.4) for loss of retention; 2.1% (95% CI 1.4–3.2) for loss of FPD due to abutment fracture and 3.2% (95% CI 1.5–6.5) for material fractures.
Conclusions
Estimated success and survival rates for conventional FPDs largely confirm those of previous reviews. Technical complications such as loss of retention, which have not been reviewed before, resulted in a greater risk of FPD loss than did biological complications.
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