Background: Occlusion and occlusal surfaces are very important in the fabrication of a crown or fixed partial denture. This study aims to investigate the presence and location of occlusal contacts on recently inserted posterior crowns.
Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed the presence and location of occlusal contacts on a sample of 401 crowns. In regards to the existence of occlusal contacts, Shimstock 8 μm (Hanel-GMH- Dental GMBH, Nurtingen, Germany) was used to check whether the crowns were in contact or out of contact. These contacting crowns were then assessed with AccuFilm II 21 μm (Parkell, Farmingdale, NY, USA), to check whether they were in the Correct location, Incorrect location, or Mixed location.
Results: In this study, 401 crowns were assessed, 255 (63.6%) crowns showed occlusal contacts, while 146 (36.4%) crowns were out of contact. Among those crowns with occlusal contacts, it was found that 147 (36.7%) crowns were in the correct location, while 67 (16.7%) crowns showed contacts in the incorrect location, and 41 (10.2%) crowns indicated contacts in the mixed location. Results of multiple logistic regression analysis indicate that level of education and place of work are significant predictors of the presence/absence of occlusal contacts.
Conclusion: Considering the importance of establishing the occlusal contacts, the study showed a significant percentage of crowns were made out of contact and in the incorrect location. The specialized restorative/prosthodontic dentists working in college/university set-up were able to perform better in establishing the occlusal contacts (presence and location).
