[Radiological assessment of long-term outcomes of restorative treatment in patients with shortened dental arches].

Background: Restoring the integrity of the dentition with orthopedic structures should be carried out strictly according to indications, taking into account the condition of the supporting teeth and/or teeth limiting the defect.

Objective: To conduct a retrospective analysis of the results of orthopedic treatment of patients with shortened dentition according to clinical and radiological methods.

Materials and methods: The material for the study was data from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) of 126 patients with shortened dentition (most patients with the absence of a second molar, as well as the absence of the first and second molars), who sought a consultation about missing teeth in the orthopedic and surgical department of the Federal State Budgetary Institution National Medical Research Center TsNIISiCHLKh Ministry of Health of Russia.

Results: At the stages of treatment for patients in the study group, insufficient attention is paid to the restoration of terminal defects of the dentition in the upper and lower jaws, especially the restoration of second molars. This may be due to improper planning of dental treatment and insufficient motivation of the patient to carry out comprehensive dental rehabilitation. According to CT studies, the number of complications of orthopedic treatment in the area of supporting teeth and/or teeth limiting the included defect or terminal defect of the dentition in the masticatory region increases depending on the period of use of the orthopedic structure.

Conclusions: The use of cantilever structures leads to functional overload of the supporting teeth. Neglecting the restoration of a full dentition and prosthetics of end defects of the dentition leads to dentoalveolar advancement of antagonists of missing teeth and the appearance of complications such as functional overload of supporting teeth and resorption of alveolar bone.