Periapical Status of Root-filled Teeth Restored with Composite, Amalgam, or Full Crown Restorations: A Cross-sectional Study of a Swedish Adult Population.

INTRODUCTION The aim was to compare the periapical status of root-filled teeth restored with resin composite, laboratory-fabricated crowns, or amalgam in a Swedish adult population. METHODS The subjects consisted of 440 individuals from a randomly selected sample of 1000 adult residents of a Swedish county. The type, material, and quality of the restorations were recorded for all root-filled teeth by using clinical examination and intraoral clinical photographs. Periapical status, root-filling quality, and marginal bone loss were evaluated on panoramic radiographs. The association between periapical status and type, material, and quality of the restorations was analyzed by using the χ(2) test and logistic regression. RESULTS No difference in the frequency of apical periodontitis (AP) between teeth restored with resin composite, laboratory-fabricated crowns, or amalgam (29.7%, 26.2%, and 43.1%, respectively) of adequate quality was found. No association between AP and resin composite restorations was disclosed; however, there was an association between AP and inadequate root-filling quality and marginal bone loss >1/3 of the root length. CONCLUSIONS The results did not indicate any association between AP and resin composite restorations. Neither the type nor the material of the restoration was of significance for periapical status as long as the quality was adequate.