Assessment of bias in methodology for randomized controlled trials published on implant dentistry.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published on implant dentistry over a 10-year period (1991 to 2000), based on the reporting of control of potential sources of bias in the design methodology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A MEDLINE search was conducted for RCTs using keywords dental implant and publication type randomized controlled trial. Three areas of trial methodology were assessed: (1) adequate reporting of randomization procedure, (2) blinding in assessment of outcomes, and (3) handling of subject withdrawals in data analysis. A score of 1 or 0 was assigned for each of the three potential sources of bias. Thus, the maximum quality score for an RCT is 3 and the minimum is 0. RESULTS: Forty-three articles met criteria for classification as RCTs. Method of randomization was explicit in 51% of the RCTs, but only 12% incorporated blinding in the assessment of outcome. Ninety-eight percent accounted for all subjects at the end of the study. Looking at overall quality scores, only 2% of RCTs adequately reported on control of bias in the three areas examined, 56% were deficient in one area, and 42% were deficient in two areas. CONCLUSION: Reporting of randomization procedures and blinding in outcomes assessment for most implant RCTs was inadequate. Subject retention and documentation of subject withdrawals were adequately reported.

Influence of remaining coronal tooth structure location on the fracture resistance of restored endodontically treated anterior teeth.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: A restored endodontically treated tooth is less likely to fracture when there is axial tooth structure between the core base and preparation finish line. However, an accurate prognosis requires knowing whether fracture resistance depends on a complete circumferential distribution of tooth structure or tooth structure in a specific location related to the applied force. PURPOSE: This in vitro study investigated the fracture resistance of restored endodontically treated teeth when residual axial tooth structure was limited to one half the circumference of the crown preparation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty extracted maxillary anterior teeth were sectioned 18 mm from their apices, endodontically treated, and divided into 5 groups of 10 teeth each. Four groups were prepared with full shoulder crown preparations having axial wall heights of 2 mm around the preparation circumferences. In 3 of the groups with axial tooth structure, one half of the axial tooth structure was removed, palatally, labially, or proximally, and groups were identified according to the site of retained coronal tooth structure. For the fifth group, all axial tooth structure was removed to the level of the preparation shoulder. Thus, in 1 group the axial walls were circumferential, 360 degrees around the preparations (Complete group), in 3 groups the axial walls were continuous for 180 degrees (Palatal, Labial, and Proximal groups), and the last group had no retained coronal tooth structure incisal to the finish line (Level group). All 50 prepared teeth were then restored with quartz fiber posts (Bisco), composite resin (Bisco) cores, and metal crowns. A universal testing machine compressively loaded the tooth specimens from the palatal at a crosshead speed of 0.5 cm/min at an angle of 135 degrees to the long axis of teeth until failure occurred. A survival analysis was conducted using a log-rank test followed by Holm-Sidak pairwise tests (alpha=.05) to detect significant differences in median failure load between groups. The mode of failure was determined by visual inspection of all specimens. RESULTS: The median failure load (P<.001) was 607 N, 782 N, 358 N, 375 N, and 172 N for the Complete, Palatal, Labial, Proximal, and Level groups, respectively. The predominant mode of failure was an oblique palatal to facial root fracture for the groups with remaining coronal tooth structure. In the Level group, post debonding was the predominant mode of failure. CONCLUSION: For restored endodontically treated teeth that do not have complete circumferential tooth structure between the core and preparation finish line, the location of the remaining coronal tooth structure may affect their fracture resistance.

Effect of no ferrule on failure of teeth restored with bonded posts and cores.

This study investigated how the absence of a ferrule affected the failure load of teeth that had been restored with bonded fiber posts and resin cores. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the ferrule and nonferrule groups' load to failure. For the ferrule group, root fracture was the predominant mode of failure; in the nonferrule group, debonding failures were predominant.