Clinical Investigation Of Gold Partial Crowns F. Schäfers (Private Dental Office, Hattorf, Germany) The objective of this study was to examine gold partial crowns after a period of 18 month in function. Gold partial crowns have proved to be a reliable solution of filling large caries defects and endodontic treated posterior teeth. First the old filling and caries was removed with rubberdam in place. Afterwards the teeth were total etched with the dentin adhesive A.R.T. Bond (Coltene Comp., Switzerland) and filled with the build up composite Core Paste (Den Mat Comp., Santa Maria, USA).The endodontic pretreated teeth were handled in the same way. The preparation began using a cylindric shaped diamond grinding instrument. A mesial, distal and occlusal box was prepared, afterwards a shoulder was established and the cusps were reduced up to 1 mm. It followed a finish of the whole preparation using an arkansas abrasive. Finally a circular bevel was prepared. In this case the oscilating Bevelshape-file was used (Intensiv Comp., Lugano, Switzerland), to bevel the mesial and distal box. It was driven by the oscilating EVA contra-angle handpiece 61 LRG with a lift of 0,8 mm (KaVo Comp., Biberach, Germany). For the oral and buccal parts a flame shaped arkansas abrasive was used. Impressions were taken with hydrocolloid. All preparations were done in a private dental office by one operator using loupes with a 5-fold magnification. The partial crowns were casted with the high-noble alloy Biocrown IV (Degussa Comp., Hanau, Germany) and cemented with zinc phosphate cement.   82 partial crowns were investigated, 36 were located in the mandibula and 46 in the maxilla. 56 of the teeth were vital and 26 were endodontic pretreated. The medium time of the restorations in function was 21,3 month rangig from 13 to 31 month. The examination was done by one person using a loupe with a five-fold magnification. The criterions for clinical examination were: marginal gaps, loss of the restoration, chip out of enamel, retreatment or endodontic treatment.   One partial crown had to recemented after 13 month, one root canal treatment was neccesary in another case after 9 month. No further treatment was indicated. No caries, marginal gap or chip out could be observed.   In conclusion gold partial crowns can be considered as a well proved treatment to fill large caries defects in posterior teeth. The restorations of this study should be reexamined after five and ten years in function.