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Long-term treatment costs and cost-effectiveness of restoration repair versus replacement
ISSN
0109-5641
Date Issued
2021-03-02
Author(s)
DOI
10.1016/j.dental.2021.02.008
Abstract
Objectives: When managing partially defective restorations, dentists can choose between repair and replacement. We aimed to assess the long-term treatment costs of repairs and replacements.
Methods: Partially defective anterior and posterior composite restorations in permanent teeth had been repaired or replaced in a German university hospital and were retrospectively followed until censoring or one of the following events: (1) Extraction, (2) Major complications including placement of indirect restorations, endodontic treatments and extractions, or (3) Any complications including major complications and further direct restorations. Costs were estimated from a German mixed public-private-payer perspective. Cost-effectiveness differences were described using median-based incremental-cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERMEDIAN). Statistical analysis was performed using generalized linear mixed modeling (GLM), Chi2-test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test (p < 0.05).
Results: A total of 616 repairs in 468 patients (follow-up: 4.9 ± 4.1 years) and 264 replacements in 218 patients (follow-up: 4.8 ± 4.3) were included. While replacements were associated with higher initial treatment costs, median annualized treatment costs did not significantly differ between repair (47.58 Euro [IQR: 24.41-107.04]) and replacement (50.64 Euro [IQR: 26.30-118.78]; p > 0.05), but were higher for molars (75.53 Euro [IQR: 24.41-92.18]) than incisors (45.03 Euro [IQR: 28.19-168.50]; p = 0.011). The difference in the % of extractions, major and any complications were minimal between both groups. The mean ICERMEDIAN of replacement vs. repair was -146.8 Euro/% when extractions were considered as outcomes. Regarding major and any complications, mean ICERMEDIAN amounted to 67.6 Euro/% and 23.9 Euro/%, respectively.
Significance: Repairs and replacements of partially defective restorations showed similar long-term costs and cost-effectiveness.
Methods: Partially defective anterior and posterior composite restorations in permanent teeth had been repaired or replaced in a German university hospital and were retrospectively followed until censoring or one of the following events: (1) Extraction, (2) Major complications including placement of indirect restorations, endodontic treatments and extractions, or (3) Any complications including major complications and further direct restorations. Costs were estimated from a German mixed public-private-payer perspective. Cost-effectiveness differences were described using median-based incremental-cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERMEDIAN). Statistical analysis was performed using generalized linear mixed modeling (GLM), Chi2-test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test (p < 0.05).
Results: A total of 616 repairs in 468 patients (follow-up: 4.9 ± 4.1 years) and 264 replacements in 218 patients (follow-up: 4.8 ± 4.3) were included. While replacements were associated with higher initial treatment costs, median annualized treatment costs did not significantly differ between repair (47.58 Euro [IQR: 24.41-107.04]) and replacement (50.64 Euro [IQR: 26.30-118.78]; p > 0.05), but were higher for molars (75.53 Euro [IQR: 24.41-92.18]) than incisors (45.03 Euro [IQR: 28.19-168.50]; p = 0.011). The difference in the % of extractions, major and any complications were minimal between both groups. The mean ICERMEDIAN of replacement vs. repair was -146.8 Euro/% when extractions were considered as outcomes. Regarding major and any complications, mean ICERMEDIAN amounted to 67.6 Euro/% and 23.9 Euro/%, respectively.
Significance: Repairs and replacements of partially defective restorations showed similar long-term costs and cost-effectiveness.
