Five-year clinical performance of posterior resin composite restorations placed by dental students

Objectives. To investigate the survival over a five-year period of posterior resin composite restorations placed by students. Methods: Class I and II resin composite restorations placed by second–fourth year dental students were evaluated. Patients attended the dental school every 6 months for a regular check-up during which all restorations were checked on their clinical acceptability. In case of replacement or repair of a restoration, this was registered in the patientʹs record. From each record the survival time and reasons for failure of resin composite restorations were gathered. Results: Seven-hundred three posterior resin composite restorations in 382 patients (49% female and 51% male, age 22–78) were evaluated. At 5 years 560 of the 703 restorations were still considered to be ‘clinically acceptable’. Fourty-nine restorations were considered as ‘functionally present’, of which 44 were restored with a crown and four had received a new restoration adjacent to the existing restoration without its removal. Ninty-four restorations had failed. The main reasons for failure were restoration fracture, caries, endodontic treatment, defective margin and lack of proximal contact. The survival rate of the restorations was 87% at 5 years, resulting in an annual failure rate of 2.8%. Conclusions: Dental students are able to place resin composite restorations in posterior teeth with an acceptable mean annual failure rate.