(PR054) The Incidence of Full-Coverage Restorations for Endodontically Treated Posterior Teeth: A Retrospective Study of a US Army Population

Objective: Full-coverage restoration (FCR) following root canal therapy (RCT) is recommended for long-term success of endodontically treated posterior teeth (EPT). Previous studies suggest core build-ups (CBU) be placed within 60 days and FCR within 120 days of RCT to maximize tooth survival. This study assesses the compliance rate with these guidelines and the influence of CBU timing on survival of EPT in a U.S. Army population.

Methods: This retrospective study reviewed 150 patient records from Rohde Dental Clinic, Fort Liberty, North Carolina (2017-2019). Dates of RCT, CBU, and FCR were recorded, and time intervals calculated. Statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate correlation between treatment timing and tooth survival. A Mann-Whitney U-test assessed differences in the timing of FCR. Statistical significance was declared at p<0.05 for all tests. All data was analyzed using SPSS version 25.0.

Results: 119 teeth evaluated (31 lost to follow-up). 100% were observed to have CBU (119/119) and survival was 97% (115/119). Four teeth were extracted for various reason. The extracted teeth did not have FCR. Median number of days between CBU and FCR was 42 (inter-quartile range (IQR): 0-198). Most patients in the sample (n=64; 58.7%) received FCR within 120 days of RCT. The median number of days between RCT and FCR was 77 (IQR: 10-243).

Conclusions: This study provides insights into timing of restorative treatments following RCT. Based on the limitations of this study, a correlation exists between CBU and FCR following RCT and increased tooth survival.