Comparison of the performance on prosthodontic criteria of several alternative alloys used for fixed crown and partial denture restorations: Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies project 147.

In a 10-year, multicenter, double-blind clinical trial, comparisons of the clinical behavior of crown and fixed partial denture restorations were made between a gold alloy and four less costly alternative alloys. The endpoints of interest were (1) the development of unacceptable ratings on any of 11 individual prosthodontic criteria and an overall rating, (2) the removal of the restoration, and (3) an event combining unacceptable overall rating and restoration removal. Each of 630 patients had two restorations completed, one from gold-palladium alloy and the other from one of four alternative alloys. The patients were enrolled during a period of 3 1/2 years, with some patients followed up as long as 10 years after restoration. Analysis of the endpoints showed that one of the alternative alloys was significantly poorer than the other materials for certain criteria.