Dental emergency rates at two expeditionary medical support facilities supporting operations enduring and Iraqi Freedom.

This study reports dental emergency rates and distribution of causes of dental emergencies at two expeditionary medical support facilities supporting operations Enduring Freedom/ Iraqi Freedom. A retrospective cohort analysis of 9948 soldiers deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and 1467 soldiers at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, was accomplished from a phased deployment from January 2003 to September 2003. Procedures were divided into 11 categories: endodontic, extraction of teeth other than third molars, extraction of third molar teeth, restoration of teeth (caries), restoration of broken teeth (not caries), orthodontic bracket/wire problem, sensitive teeth, temperomandibular pain, periodontal, oral pathology, and prosthodontic. The dental emergency rates for Prince Sultan Air Base and Baghdad International Airport were 153 and 145 dental emergencies per 1000 soldiers per year, respectively. Most of the emergencies were because of dental caries. Pain from third molars was the second most common reason for visiting the dental clinic.