Further Interventions after Root Canal Treatment Are Most Common in Molars and Teeth Restored with Direct Restorations: A 10-11-Year Follow-Up of the Adult Swedish Population.

INTRODUCTION

The aims were to investigate 1) the frequency of nonsurgical retreatment, root-end surgery, extraction, and further restorative treatment during a follow-up of 10-11 years after root filling and compare the frequencies according to tooth group and type of coronal restoration and 2) the timing of nonsurgical retreatment, root-end surgery, and extraction.

METHODS

Data were collected from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency's register. A search for treatment codes identified teeth root filled in 2009 and the type of coronal restoration (direct, indirect, and unspecified) registered within 6 months of root filling. The root-filled teeth were followed 10-11 years, and further interventions were recorded. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

In 2009, root fillings were registered for 215,611 individuals/teeth. Nonsurgical retreatment, root-end surgery, and extraction were undertaken in 3.5%, 1.4%, and 20% teeth, respectively. The frequency of further interventions varied with respect to tooth group and type of coronal restoration, but only slightly for endodontic retreatments. Further interventions, except for root-end surgery, were registered more often for molars and directly restored teeth (P < .001). The majority of endodontic retreatments were undertaken within 4 years, while extractions were evenly distributed over 10-11 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency numbers of nonsurgical retreatment and root-end surgery were low, despite 1 in 5 root-filled teeth registered as extracted. Further interventions were most common in molars and directly restored teeth. Endodontic retreatments were performed more often during the first 4 years.