Survival rate and need for maintenance of cover-denture prostheses borne on three or less abutment teeth: ten-year results

When providing patients with cover-denture prostheses, even teeth with poor long-term prognosis can serve as abutment teeth. This has a positive psychological effect on patients and makes it easier to adapt them later to a complete denture. Aim of the present study was to investigate the survival rate and need for maintenance of cover-denture prostheses. Data were collected from patient records. Statistical analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier survival analyses, log-rank tests (P < 0.05), Cox regressions (P < 0.05), and Non-Parametric Mean Cumulative Function. Two hundred twenty-seven cover-dentures in 204 patients were examined. Mean age was 67 years, mean follow-up time was 3.4 years. 27.75% of prostheses were borne on one abutment tooth, 40.97% on two and 31.28% on three abutment teeth. In 60.4% percent of cases, copings were cast from a precious alloy. The 5-year survival rate for cover-dentures was 64.5%. The most common complication (36.6%) was decementation of a coping. In 30.9% of cases, one or more abutment teeth fractured and in 28.7% of cases one or more abutment teeth were lost. Most common need for maintenance was the removal of pressure points in the prosthesis. In 29.5% of cases, a relining of the cover-dentures was necessary. A cover-denture prosthesis is a suitable therapeutical option for patients with few remaining teeth. The survival rate is comparable to that of other double crown retained removable partial dentures and occurring complications are manageable. Cover-denture prostheses represent an adequate alternative to complete extraction and can be recommended in clinical practice.