Evaluation of the Seating of Crowns After Adjusting Proximal Contacts Using Different Materials

OBJECTIVE: Achieving physiologic proximal contact is essential for complete crown seating and long-term periodontal health. Improper adjustment can result in tight or open contacts, leading to incomplete seating, marginal discrepancies, food impaction, and discomfort. This study evaluated the seating accuracy of posterior single-unit porcelain fused to metal (PFM) crowns after proximal contact adjustment using different contact-indicating methods. CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS: In this prospective randomized clinical study, 124 patients requiring posterior single-unit PFM crowns were randomly allocated into four groups (n = 31 each): Artifol (8 μm), articulating paper (40 μm), Arti-Spot (3 μm), and visual acuity alone. Proximal contacts were adjusted during laboratory procedures according to the assigned method. At clinical try-in, seating was considered "perfect" if no further proximal adjustment was required. Intraoral periapical radiographs confirmed crown seating. Data were analyzed using Fisher's exact tests (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A significant association was observed between adjustment method and crown seating (p = 0.000). Arti-Spot demonstrated the highest number of perfectly seated crowns (29/31), whereas visual assessment showed the poorest results. Thin contact-indicating materials demonstrated more consistent outcomes in immediate chairside proximal contact assessment compared to other methods.