Causes and Patterns of Loss of Permanent Teeth among Patients Attending a Dental Teaching Institution in South India

J Contemp Dent Pract. 2009 Sep 1;10(5):E057-64.

Causes and Patterns of Loss of Permanent Teeth among Patients Attending a Dental Teaching Institution in South India.

Anand PS, Kuriakose S.

AIM: The aims of the present study are to determine the causes and pattern of loss of permanent teeth among patients attending a dental teaching institution in southern India. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Data collected from patients attending the outpatient wing of the Sri Sankara Dental College, Kerala, during a three month period was used for the study. The cause for extraction was classified as follows: (1) caries and its sequelae, (2) periodontal disease, (3) orthodontic purposes, (4) impactions, (5) prosthodontic purposes, and (6) other reasons. RESULTS: A total of 1791 permanent teeth were extracted of which 708 (39.5%) teeth were extracted due to caries and its sequelae, 508 (28.4%) due to periodontal disease, 347 (19.4%) for orthodontic purposes, 29 (1.6%) due to impactions, 155 (8.7%) for prosthodontic purposes, and 44 (2.5%) for other reasons. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest caries and periodontal disease are the major causes of tooth mortality in the study population. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Data regarding the causes of tooth loss indirectly provides invaluable information on the pattern of oral health in a population which can be utilized for planning public health policies designed to address the burden of oral diseases.

PMID: 19838611 [PubMed - in process]