Economic Evaluation Of Single-Tooth Replacement Using Fixed Dental Prosthesis Or Implant-Supported Single Crowns

Abstract

Objectives: Dentists and patients are frequently confronted by a difficult treatment decision: should a missing tooth be replaced with a fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) or an implant- supported single crown (ISC)? Material and Methods: Forty seven patients with one singular missing tooth and 6 patients with two singular missing teeth in non-adjacent positions were included in this study. 29 tooth gaps were closed with FDPs and thirty with ISCs. Material costs, treatment hours and number of visits were recorded and compared for the two treatment groups. Results: Due to surgery, the total number of visits was higher for the ISC than for the FDP group (7.5±2.8 vs. 6.2±3.6; p=0.03), but the actual chair side time was the same (5.3±1.8 hours vs. 5.0±2.5 hours; p=0.22). Pretreatment costs were significantly lower for the ISC group CHF