Clinical performance of resin-bonded bridges: a 5-year prospective study. II. The influence of patient-dependent variables

Summary A total of 203 resin‐bonded bridges was inserted under controlled clinical conditions and evaluated for a number of patient‐dependent variables over a period of 5 years. Of the variables evaluated only ‘initial occlusion of the abutment teeth’ and ‘location in the dental arch’ had a significant influence on the retention of resin‐bonded bridges. Anterior resin‐bonded bridges were more durable than posterior bridges. Mandibular posterior bridges showed the lowest retention ratio. It is concluded that the design of posterior resin‐bonded bridges should include tooth preparation or a wrap‐around design of the retainers.