Deep carious lesions and other consequences of caries among 18-year-olds at Public Dental Health Service in Northern Norway: A cross-sectional age cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To document deep carious lesions and other consequences of caries (DCL-CC) in molars of 18-year olds leaving the free-of-charge Public Dental Health Service (PDHS). To explore the association between background factors and DCL-CC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The final study sample (n=1876) comprised 95% of individuals born in 1993 and registered in the PDHS in Troms County, Northern Norway. The most recent digital bitewing radiographs of each subject were examined for DCL-CC (deep untreated carious lesions, deep restorations, root canal obturations or extractions due to caries). Inter- and intra-observer kappa scores were 0.62 and 0.87, respectively. Information on background factors (gender, clinic location, history of medical problems, bitewing examination interval, DMFT score and planned recalls) were retrieved from dental records. RESULTS: About one-quarter of subjects (488) had at least one molar with DCL-CC. There were 848 molars in total with DCL-CC; the majority were deep restorations (70%), but 4% were deep untreated carious lesions. More than a quarter of DCL-CC were either root canal obturations (14%) or extractions (12%). Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that a 1-unit increase in DMFT score was associated with deep untreated carious lesions and extractions due to caries. There was no association between urban/rural clinic location, which indicated socio-economic status, and either DMFT score or DCL-CC. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the existence of a free-of-charge dental service, more than one-quarter of the subjects in the present study had at least one molar with DCL-CC.

Periapical status and quality of root fillings in a selected adult Riga population.

AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of apical periodontitis and quality of root canal fillings in an adult Riga subpopulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Panoramic radiographs of Latvian adults 35-44 year old attending a private dental clinic for the first time during the period of 2004-2008 were included in the study. Totally, 312 out of 1248 panoramic radiographs were randomly selected and examined for periapical conditions and endodontic treatment quality. The technical quality of root fillings was evaluated in terms of length in relation to the root apex and lateral adaptation to the canal wall. The periapical status was assessed using the PAI index. The data were analyzed using SPSS 14 computer software program. Statistical significance was assessed by the chi-squared (Pearson's) test. RESULTS: Out of the 312 individuals examined 224 (72%) had one or more teeth with apical periodontitis (PAI 3-5) and 272 individuals (87%) had one or more endodontically treated teeth. Amongst 7065 teeth evaluated 1255 (18%) were endodontically treated. Only 285 teeth (23%) of the root canal treated teeth were with complete root canal fillings. There was a statistically significant relationship between quality of root canal fillings and apical periodontitis (p<0.0001). In teeth with complete fillings only 15% were with apical periodontitis, but apical periodontitis were detected in 342 teeth (35%) with incomplete root fillings. CONCLUSION: The results from this study indicates a high prevalence of apical periodontitis and low quality of root fillings in a selected adult Riga population.

Treatment preferences of deep carious lesions in mature teeth: Questionnaire study among dentists in Northern Norway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate preferred treatment methods of deep carious lesions in mature permanent teeth among dentists in Northern Norway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey included all 437 general dental practitioners in Northern Norway working in the private or the public dental health service. The participants received an invitation with a radiograph and a clinical picture of a deep carious lesion in a mature permanent tooth and a questionnaire asking about demographic characteristics and their preferred treatment methods related to different clinical deep caries diagnoses. RESULTS: The response rate was 56%. There was an over-representation of publicly employed dentists among the respondents; otherwise no systematic bias related to non-responders was detected. In the absence of carious exposure and no symptoms, total caries excavation was the preferred treatment method (49%) followed by stepwise excavation (45%). In cases of deep caries and no exposure with symptoms, the preferences were equally distributed between root canal treatment (39%) and stepwise excavation (38%). In the presence of carious exposure but no symptoms, the preferred treatment method was direct pulp capping (51%) and in carious exposure with symptoms root canal treatment was the preferred treatment method (91%). CONCLUSIONS: There is no uniform treatment method of deep carious lesions among dentists in Northern Norway.

Microflora of root filled teeth with apical periodontitis in Latvian patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the microbial flora of root filled teeth with apical periodontitis and to determine the prevalence of ß-lactamase producing strains in isolated bacteria in Latvian patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 33 root filled teeth with asymptomatic persisting periapical lesions were selected for the present study. During nonsurgical endodontic retreatment, the root filling material was removed and canals were sampled. Determination of microbial species was based on series of biochemical tests using identification kits. All strains of bacteria were tested for ß-lactamase production by using chromogenic nitrocefin-impregnated slides. RESULTS: Bacteria were found in 32 (97%) of initial specimens from the teeth. The number of isolated microbial strains in the specimens ranged from one to six (mean 2.7). 79% of the isolated microbial species were Gram-positive bacteria. The most common isolates were Streptococcus (27%), Actinomyces (27%), Staphylococcus (18%), Enterococcus (18%) and Lactobacillus (18%) spp. Yeasts were found as four isolates in 3 cases (9%). ß-lactamase-producing bacterial strains were detected in 12 specimens, 36% of the patients. The most common enzyme-producing bacteria belonged to Actinomyces and Staphylococcus spp. CONCLUSIONS: The microbial flora in previously treated root canals with apical periodontitis is limited to a small number of predominantly Gram-positive microbial species. The most common isolates are Streptococcus, Actinomyces, Staphylococcus, Enterococcus and Lactobacillus spp. A moderately high prevalence of ß-lactamase producing bacterial strains was detected in patients with root filled teeth with apical periodontitis.