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Page 3 of 5
RESULT
Frequency Distribution of Tooth Loss due to Caries According to Tooth Type
A total of 1269 patients attended the clinic, 8741 patients under went extraction, 11546 teeth were extracted altogether and 6145 permanent teeth were extracted due to caries and its sequalae within the two years under review (Tables 1 and 2).
Table 1. Frequency distribution of tooth loss due to caries according to tooth type
|
Tooth Type |
Number |
% |
|
Upper Anteriors |
194 |
3.2 |
|
Upper Premolars |
475 |
7.7 |
|
Upper Molars |
1833 |
29.8 |
|
Lower Anteriors |
22 |
0.4 |
|
Lower Premolars |
202 |
3.3 |
|
Lower Molars |
3419 |
55.6 |
|
Total |
6145 |
100.0 |
Table 2. Frequency distribution of tooth loss due to caries according to tooth type.
|
Tooth Type |
Number |
% |
|
Upper Anteriors |
194 |
3.2 |
|
Upper Right Premolars |
251 |
4.1 |
|
Upper Right Molars |
891 |
14.5 |
|
Upper Left Premolars |
224 |
3.6 |
|
Upper Left Molars |
942 |
15.3 |
|
Lower Anteriors |
22 |
0.4 |
|
Lower Left Premolar |
95 |
1.5 |
|
Lower Left Molars |
1753 |
28.5 |
|
Lower Right Premolars |
107 |
1.7 |
|
Lower Right Molars |
1666 |
27.1 |
|
Total |
6145 |
100.0 |
Table 3. Sextant distribution of pre-molar extraction due to caries
|
TOOTH TYPE |
SEXTANTS |
TOTAL |
|
UPPER RIGHT |
UPPER LEFT |
LOWER LEFT |
LOWER RIGHT |
|
1st premolar |
94 (43.3%) |
80 (36.9%) |
25 (11.5%) |
18 (8.3%) |
217 (100%) |
|
2nd premolar |
157 (34.1%) |
144 (31.3%) |
82 (17.8%) |
77 (16.7%) |
460 (100%) |
|
TOTAL |
251 (37.1%) |
224 (33.1%) |
107 (15.8%) |
95 (14.0%) |
677 (100%) |
X = 15.937 df = 3 P = 0.001
Table 4. Sextant distribution of molar extractions due to caries
|
TOOTH
TYPE |
SEXTANTS |
TOTAL |
|
UPPER RIGHT |
UPPER LEFT |
LOWER RIGHT |
LOWER LEFT |
|
1st molar |
444 (16.6%) |
464 (17.4%) |
883(33,0%) |
883(33.0%) |
2674(100%) |
|
2nd molar |
189 (11.9%) |
216 (13.6%) |
573 (36.0%) |
612 (38.5%) |
1590(100%) |
|
3rd molar |
258 (26.1%) |
262 (26.5%) |
210 (21.3%) |
258 (26.1%) |
988(100%) |
|
TOTAL |
891(17.0%) |
942(17.9%) |
1666(31.7%) |
1753(33.4%) |
5252(100%) |
X2 = 204.036 df = 6 P = 0.000
The upper anteriors accounted for 194 (3.2%), upper pre-molars 475 (7.7%) and upper molars 1833 (29.8%). The lower anteriors accounted for 22 (0.4%), lower pre-molars 202 (3.3%) and lower molars 3419 (55.6%). It was observed that tooth loss due to caries tends to increase anterior-posteriorly in both arches. The table also shows that the upper anterior (3.2%) is eight times more vulnerable to caries attack when compared to their corresponding lower anteriors (0.4%).
Inter-jaw distribution of pre-molar and molar tooth losses due to caries.
Ninety four (43.3%) upper right and 80 (36.9%) upper left first premolar was extracted due to caries as against their corresponding lower right (11.5%) and left (8.3%) first premolar (Table 3). The same pattern was observed for the second upper and lower premolars. The rate of losses due to caries is significantly higher in the upper than in the lower premolars (p = 0.001). The trend in the molars were opposite to what was observed in the premolars. Eight hundred and eighty three (33.0%) lower right and 33.0% lower left first molar were lost due to caries as against their corresponding upper right 16.6% and upper left 17.4%. The same trend was observed for the second and third molars (Table 4, Figure 1). 
The study further revealed that the upper second molar was the least vulnerable to caries attack of all the molars. The lower molar losses, due to caries, were significantly higher than for the upper molars (p = 0. 000).
DISCUSSION The vulnerability of a tooth to caries and tooth mortality was the focus of interest in this study. Previously reported studies have shown that dental caries is the foremost reason for tooth extraction in Nigeria and other African countries1,2,6 and the rest of the world.7,8,9,10 This high prevalence may be due to transition from the customary fibrous African diet to western diet.2,6. In this study, it was observed that the maxillary anteriors (3.2%) were more susceptible to caries attack when compared to 0.4% of mandibular anteriors. A related study reported that 31.9% of maxillary centrals were extracted due to caries compared to 12.9% of mandibular centrals.11 Another study reported that the least frequently extracted tooth type due to caries were the lower anteriors7. The reason for this may be due to the close proximity of the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands duct to the lower anterior teeth, as their secretions help to buffer and cleanse the products of bacterial plaque.
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Wednesday, 07 January 2009
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