Posterior composites and new caries on adjacent surfaces - any association? Longitudinal study with a split-mouth design.

Background: The aim of this longitudinal study was to compare caries incidence in sound approximal surfaces adjacent to newly placed composite restorations with the caries incidence in corresponding surfaces in contralateral teeth without any restorations in contact; and to assess risk factors for dentine caries development on adjacent and control surfaces.

Methods: Data from a practice-based study, where 4030 posterior approximal restorations placed in permanent teeth by clinicians working in a Public Dental Health Service in Norway, were used. The study was approved by the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics. The present study is based on a subsample of patients with a sound surface adjacent to a newly placed composite posterior approximal restoration. All individuals who had intact corresponding contralateral pairs of teeth in the same jaw, were included. At the end of the follow-up period, the study restorations and their adjacent surfaces were evaluated clinically and radiographically. Status of the contralateral tooth pair at baseline and end point was based on recordings from routine dental examinations, retrospectively extracted from the electronic dental records.

Results: One hundred and ninety three patients (mean age 15.0 years, SD = 3.4) met the inclusion criteria. The surfaces were followed on average for 4.8 years. Follow-up observations revealed that 41 % of adjacent surfaces remained sound, compared with 67 % of the control surfaces (p < 0.001). Restorations were placed in 17 % of adjacent surfaces, compared with 3 % of the control surfaces (p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis adjacent surfaces in maxillary teeth had increased risk for dentine caries development (OR 3.1, CI 1.3-7.3).

Conclusions: Caries incidence in intact approximal surfaces adjacent to newly placed composite posterior approximal restorations was significantly higher compared with the contralateral control surface without a restoration in contact. Adjacent surfaces in maxillary teeth had increased risk for dentine caries development.