Radiographic assessments on prevalence and technical quality of endodontically-treated teeth in the Finnish population, aged 30 years and older.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and technical quality of endodontic treatment (ET) in Finland by panoramic radiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As part of the Finnish nationwide Health 2000 Survey, panoramic radiographs of 5244 dentate subjects, aged 30-95 years, were analyzed. The criterion for a technically adequate ET was a distance from the root filling to the root apex of ≤3 mm. RESULTS: Sixty-one per cent of subjects had one or more teeth with ET. ET was more prevalent in older subjects and among women. Of all teeth (n = 120 250), 7% had had ET, the percentages being greatest for molars and premolars. Technical quality was adequate in 47% of all ET, in 71% of anterior teeth, in 51% of premolars and in 25% of molars. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence and technical quality of endodontic treatment in Finland are comparable to that reported elsewhere, but are still calling for improvement in endodontic treatment, especially regarding molars.