This new critical summary from the ADA-EBD Center for evidence-based dentistry looks at a 2012 review from Pjetursson et al  which set out  to assess and compare the 5- and 10-year survival of different types of tooth-supported and implant-supported fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) and single crowns (SCs), and to describe the incidence of biological and technical complications with emphasis on quality of reporting.

The appraiser notes that only a single database (Medline) was searched and the review assessed 105 studies from a number of systematic reviews. However, the quality of the original studies was considered to range from mediocre to poor consisting as it did as a mixture of prospective, retrospective cohort studies and case series. Overall the appraiser considers the review to be a thorough assessment of evidence of limited quality highlighting authors recommendations:-

 that restorations preferably should be done with single crowns or FPDs on either abutment teeth or abutment implants, in contrast to a combination of abutment teeth and implants, cantilevers on teeth or resin-bonded prostheses, all of which would be less desirable.

Links

ADA-EBD – Survival of various tooth- or implant-supported restorations. 

Pjetursson BE, Zwahlen M, Lang NP. Quality of reporting of clinical studies to assess and compare performance of implant-supported restorations. J Clin Periodontol. 2012 Feb;39 Suppl 12:139-59. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2011.01828.x.  Review. PubMed PMID: 22533954.