Factors influencing the choice of dental material and procedure for crown restoration of posterior teeth - design of a "decision guide"

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the factors influencing a clinical choice of different methods of posterior teeth reconstruction. Firstly, the factors influencing the clinical therapeutic choice were determined, and then the material functional properties were analyzed according to available literature, including the analysis of the restoration's longevity and the main causes of its failure. The available types of dental restorations were analyzed and compared between each other; those which solidify directly in the mouth (amalgams, resin-based composites for direct restoration) and those made in a dental laboratory and then placed in a previously designed tooth cavity (resin-based composites for the indirect restorations, dental ceramic inlays and crowns) in order to make a conclusion about their advantages and limits which influence a therapeutic choice.