[Downloaded free from http://www.ijpcdr.org on Monday, January 2, 2023, IP: 42.111.204.

18]

Original Article

Evaluation of fixed partial dentures’ complications among

patients attending a dental college in Ahmedabad, Gujarat,
India
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Fixed partial denture (FPD) is the term used for denoting partial dentures that are cemented to the natural teeth or root,
thereby furnishing and providing primary prosthetic support. Prosthetic failure in patients rehabilitated with dental treatment can affect the
periodontal health of the abutment teeth.
Aim and Objectives: The present study was conducted to evaluate the FPD’s complications among patients attending a dental college
in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
Materials and Methods: The study was carried out among patients who visited the Department of Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge,
AMC Dental College and Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, as outpatients from March 2018 to August 2018. A total of 300 patients were
randomly selected and interviewed.
Results: Regarding the nature of problems faced with the FPD and crown wearers, 64% of them reported with looseness and repeated
dislodgement, whereas 36% of them had no such complaints. The second most common problem encountered with the patients was inability
to maintain proper oral hygiene. Nearly 54% of the patients found it difficult to maintain oral hygiene.
Conclusions:  Knowledge regarding the clinical FPD complications enhances dentists’ ability to complete a thorough diagnosis, develop the
most appropriate treatment plan for patients, communicate realistic expectations to patients, and plan time intervals needed for posttreatment
care in the dental institutions.

Keywords: Complications, evaluation, fixed partial denture, patients, prosthetic failure

INTRODUCTION

A complication has been defined as “a secondary disease or
condition developing in the course of a primary disease or
condition.” Although complications may be an indication that
clinical failure has occurred, this is not typically the case.[1] It
is also possible that complications may reflect substandard
care. However, once again, this is usually not true. Most of
the time, complications are conditions that occur during or
after appropriately performed fixed prosthodontic treatment
procedures. Knowledge regarding the clinical complications
that can occur in fixed prosthodontics enhances the clinician’s
ability to complete a thorough diagnosis, develop the
most appropriate treatment plan, communicate realistic
expectations to patients, and plan the time intervals needed
Ravindra Mandanbhai Chavda1, Ronak Choksi1,
Kinjal Solanki2, Rajendra P. Bharatiya3,
Rahul Rupapara4, Monika Khatri5
1
Senior Lecturer, 2Reader, Department of Prosthodontics, AMC
Dental College and Hospital, 3Senior Lecturer, Department
of Conservative Dentistry, AMC Dental College and Hospital,
Ahmedabad, 4Tutor, Department of Dentistry, PDU Medical
College and Hospital, Rajkot, Gujarat, 5Senior Lecturer,
Department of Prosthodontics, Hitkarini Dental College and
Hospital, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
Address for correspondence: Dr. Ravindra Mandanbhai Chavda,
Department of Prosthodontics, AMC Dental College and Hospital,
Ahmedabad ‑ 380 008, Gujarat, India.
E‑mail: aravsoravi20413@gmail.com

Access this article online This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution‑NonCommercial‑ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix,
Quick Response Code
tweak, and build upon the work non‑commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and
Website: the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.
www.ijpcdr.org
For reprints contact: reprints@medknow.com

How to cite this article: Chavda RM, Choksi R, Solanki K, Bharatiya RP,
DOI:
Rupapara R, Khatri M. Evaluation of fixed partial dentures' complications
10.4103/INPC.INPC_31_19 among patients attending a dental college in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
Int J Prev Clin Dent Res 2019;6:39-41.

© 2019 International Journal of Preventive and Clinical Dental Research | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow 39
[Downloaded free from http://www.ijpcdr.org on Monday, January 2, 2023, IP: 42.111.204.18]
Chavda, et al.: Evaluation of fixed partial dentures’ complications
for posttreatment care.[2‑5] Fixed partial denture (FPD) is the
term used for denoting partial dentures that are cemented
to the natural teeth or root, thereby furnishing and providing
primary prosthetic support. Healthy occlusion with longevity
of several years can be achieved by FPD which transforms
unhealthy poor functioning dentition into a comfortable
one.[6‑8] Prosthetic failure in patients rehabilitated with dental
treatment can affect the periodontal health of the abutment
teeth.[9] Hence, we have planned the present study to evaluate
the FPD’s complications among patients attending a dental
college in Ahmedabad.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A sample questionnaire with 18 questions was prepared,
pertaining to the period of the prosthesis in place, the
nature of complaint as told by the patient in his or her
own words, number of units involved, and the type of
materials used in the fabrication of prosthesis. The study was
carried out among patients who visited the Department of
Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge, AMC Dental College
and Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, as outpatients from
March 2018 to August 2018. A total of 300 patients were
randomly selected and interviewed.
RESULTS
A total of 300 patients took part in this survey, of which 156
were male and 144 were female. Among the 300 patients,
62% of them had FPDs, 33% of them had crowns, and 5% of
them had both. Regarding the nature of problems faced
with the FPD and crown wearers, 64% of them reported
with looseness and repeated dislodgment, whereas 36% of
them had no such complaints. The second most common
problem encountered with the patients was inability to
maintain proper oral hygiene. Nearly 54% of the patients
found it difficult to maintain oral hygiene, 26% of the patients
reported with complaints of food impaction, and 36% of them
had complaint of pain under the denture/crown. Almost 18%
of them found difficulty in mastication, whereas the rest
82% were comfortable during mastication. Halitosis was
also complained by 22% of the patients. Nearly 35% of them
reported with sensitivity in that region, 34% complained
that the color of the prostheses faded away, 32% of them
had problems with esthetics, and 13% of them reported with
breakage [Table 1].
DISCUSSION
The primary foundation of long‑term success with crown
and FPD is to achieve good patient recall compliance. The
risk of course and FPD failures are divided into four factors,
40 International Journal of Preventive and Clinical Dental Research / Volume 6 / Issue 2 / April-June 2019
Table 1: Postoperative complaints
Yes (%) No (%)
Looseness and repeated dislodgment 64 36
Unable to chew food 18 82
Food gets stuck 26 74
Color fades away 34 66
Problem with esthetics 32 68
Breakage of denture/crown 19 81
Breakage of tooth under crown 13 87
Pain under the denture/crown 36 64
Sensitivity in that region 35 65
Are you able to maintain proper oral hygiene? 46 54
Bad breath due to denture/crown 22 78
namely patient‑related, infection‑related, load‑related, and
technique‑ and design‑related factors. Most of the failures
are due to poor patient care after insertion, whereas
others occur as a result of defective design and inadequate
execution of clinical and laboratory procedures.[10‑12] In this
study, a clinic survey was undertaken to access patients’
discomfort after cementation of prosthesis. In a study by
Palmqvist and Swartz,[13] 75 patients contributing a total
of 309 units were included. Qualities of the present FPDs
were clinically and radiographically assessed. The results
showed that the most common complication was shade
mismatch (64%), followed by overcontoured (59.9%), open
margins (49.8%), and caries (40.1%). The number of units
and duration of service were found to influence most of the
assessed complications. The prevalence of complications
was high among the studied sample. Rashedi[14] in a study
included 98 patients, with 44 FPD and 54 single crowns.
The patients were asked questions pertaining to the period,
nature of complaint, and type of materials used. Clinical
examination was performed. The reasons for the failures were
periodontal disease (51%), gingival bleeding (46.9%), open
margins (43%), caries (41%), shade mismatch (42%), occlusal
wear of the opposing tooth (20.4%), loose prostheses (13%),
and porcelain or abutment fracture (12.2%). In that study,
the duration of service was found to influence most of the
assessed complications, especially periodontal disease, shade
mismatch, and occlusal wear. Whereas in our study, regarding
the nature of problems faced with the FPD and crown
wearers, 64% of them reported with looseness and repeated
dislodgment, whereas 36% of them had no such complaints.
The second most common problem encountered with the
patients was inability to maintain proper oral hygiene.
Nearly 54% of the patients found it difficult to maintain oral
hygiene, 26% of the patients reported with complaints of
food impaction, and 36% of them had a complaint of pain
under the denture/crown. Almost 18% of them found difficulty
in mastication, whereas the rest 82% were comfortable
during mastication. Halitosis was also reported by 22% of
the patients. Nearly 35% of them reported sensitivity in that
[Downloaded free from http://www.ijpcdr.org on Monday, January 2, 2023, IP: 42.111.204.18]
Chavda, et al.: Evaluation of fixed partial dentures’ complications
region, 34% complained that the color of the prostheses faded
away, 32% of them had problems with esthetics, and 13% of
them reported with breakage.
CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge regarding clinical FPD complications enhances
dentists’ ability to complete a thorough diagnosis, develop
the most appropriate treatment plan to patients, communicate
realistic expectations to patients, and plan time intervals
needed for posttreatment care in the dental institutions.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
REFERENCES
1. Rania Samara M. The effect of past denture experience on patients
satisfaction with their complete dentures. Pak Oral Dent J 2009;29:403‑8.
2. Walter MH, Woronuk JI, Tan HK, Lenz U, Koch R, Boening KW,
et al. Oral health related quality of life and its association with
sociodemographic and clinical findings in 3 northern outreach clinics.
J Can Dent Assoc 2007;73:153.
International Journal of Preventive and Clinical Dental Research / Volume 6 / Issue 2 / April-June 2019
3. Pan S, Awad M, Thomason JM, Dufresne E, Kobayashi T, Kimoto S,
et al. Sex differences in denture satisfaction. J Dent 2008;36:301‑8.
4. Magnusson T. Clinical judgement and patients’ evaluation of complete
dentures five years after treatment. A  follow‑up study. Swed Dent J
1986;10:29‑35.
5. Fiske J, Davis DM, Frances C, Gelbier S. The emotional effects of tooth
loss in edentulous people. Br Dent J 1998;184:90‑3.
6. Ashok NG, Sangeetha S. Evaluation of post operative complaints in
fixed partial denture wearers and those with crowns: A questionnaire
based study. Int J Cur Res Rev 2016;8:30‑4.
7. Newton JT, Prabhu N, Robinson PG. The impact of dental appearance
on the appraisal of personal characteristics. Int J Prosthodont
2003;16:429‑34.
8. Nikias MK, Sollecito WA, Fink R. An empirical approach to
developing multidimensional oral status profiles. J Public Health Dent
1978;38:148‑58.
9. Chezhian  N, Abirami S. Patience satisfaction after receiving a fixed
partial denture (FPD). Sci Res 2016;8:208‑9.
10. Ahmed N, Faruqui S. Factors affecting dental prosthesis satisfaction in
Pakistani population. Int J Dent Res 2015;3:24‑6.
11. Geiballa GH, Abubakr NH, Ibrahim YE. Patients’ satisfaction and
maintenance of fixed partial denture. Eur J Dent 2016;10:250‑3.
12. Brennan M, Houston F, O’Sullivan M, O’Connell B. Patient
satisfaction and oral health‑related quality of life outcomes of implant
overdentures and fixed complete dentures. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants
2010;25:791‑800.
13. Palmqvist S, Swartz B. Artificial crowns and fixed partial dentures 18
to 23 years after placement. Int J Prosthodont 1993;6:279‑85.
14. A Rashedi. A sanitary “arc‑fixed partial denture”: Concept and technique
of pontic design. J Prosthet Dent 1983;50:338‑41.
41