Longevity of resin composite restorations

In daily practice, an evidence-based approach is becoming more expected of dentist. However, only outcomes obtained from clinical studies are accepted as evidence. Although many clinical trials have been performed, most of them are short-term studies, whereas long-term studies are likely to provide more reliable evidence. In this article, prospective studies and retrospective longitudinal clinical studies on resin composite restorations were systematically searched with PubMed for literature in English and with Japana Centra Revuo Medicina (Ichushi Web) for articles in Japanese. Finally, 21 long-term (8 years or more) prospective studies and nine retrospective studies with survival analysis were selected and reviewed from more than 561 papers. The overall findings suggest that at least 60% of resin composite restorations will last more than 10 years when proper materials are applied correctly. Patient-, operator-, materialand tooth-related factors may have an influence on the survival of resin composite restorations. Appropriate maintenance policies based on MI concepts are claimed to enhance the longevity of resin composite restorations. (C) 2011 Japanese Association for Dental Science. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.