Complex Evaluation of the Periodontal Condition in Teeth with and without Ceramic Crowns

The scope of the study was a retrospective evaluation, involving a 1‐3 year follow‐up period, of the periodontal condition of teeth with fixed crowns. The experimental group was formed of 40 patients having followed a prosthetic treatment with ceramic crowns. The complete clinical evaluations performed included analysis of the plaque index (IP), of the index of gingival bleeding (ISG), probing of the depth of the perio‐ dontal pockets (AP) and of the level of clinical attachment (AC). All these parameters were evaluated in 6 different sites of each tooth. Panoramic radiographies, on which the height of the alveolar crest was analyzed, were also taken. The mean values were obtained with the Wilcoxon statis‐ tical tests and with test t, which permitted a comparative evaluation of both test and control sites. The teeth on which ceramic crowns had been applied had a mean value of the plaque index, IP, of 53.17% com‐ paratively with 58.24% the value recorded in the control teeth. The index of gingival bleeding, ISG, was 38.79% and 29.16% for the test and, respectively, control teeth. Evalu‐ ation of the depth of the periodontal pockets, AP, eviden‐ ced mean values of 2.80 and, respectively, 2.30 mm, while the mean values registered for the level of clinical attach‐ ment, AC, were of 2.05 and 2.49 mm for the test and, respectively, control teeth. The mean values for the heigth of the alveolar bone, evaluated radiographically, were of 13.01 for the teeth with ceramic crowns, and of 13.96 mm, respectively, for the control teeth. The conclusion of the study, based on the results obtai‐ ned, is that teeth with ceramic crowns may frequently show signs of inflammation, yet not necessarily accompa‐ nied by irreversible destruction of the periodontal tissue.