Aim: Cast metal-based resin-retained bridgework (RRB) offers a practical, conservative approach when restoring edentulous spaces. This review examines the debonding of cast metal-based RRB, comparing cantilever resin-retained bridgework (CRRB) and fixed-fixed resin-retained bridgework (FRRB) designs taking into context developments in RRB design, construction, and cementation over time.
Methods: An electronic search was conducted through Medline and Embase with the aid of Boolean operators to combine the following key words: "adhesive bridges", "resin-bonded bridges", "resin-retained bridges", "resin-bonded fixed partial dentures", "cantilever", "debond", "fixed-fixed", "decementation", "failure", "success", "outcome", "longevity" and "survival". The search was limited to peer-reviewed articles written in English and published from 1995 through to 2019.
Main findings: Thirty-one studies were included. Five studies compared the longevity of CRRB versus FRRB, five assessed the clinical performance of CRRBs alone, and 21 studies assessed the clinical performance of FRRBs. There was great variability in study design and the reporting of clinical outcomes, and an analysis and critique of the included papers is provided. Overall, CRRB tend to debond less and hence provide longer-term and more reliable clinical service when compared to FRRB.
Principal conclusions: More high-level, long-term, prospective and clinical controlled trials are required to further analyse and evaluate the long-term outcomes of cast metal-based RRB.
Keywords: Resin-retained bridge; adhesive bridge; cantilever bridge; fixed-fixed bridge; resin-bonded bridge; resin-retained bridge design.