OBJECTIVES: The rate of caries progression in primary teeth has rarely been studied, with most studies on early childhood caries reporting the percentage of lesions that remain at a certain stage of disease over a period of time. The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and behavior of proximal and occlusal carious lesions in primary teeth among children from low socio-economic status. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective study was based on bite-wing radiographs of 95 children aged 5-12 taken at 6-12 months intervals, with a follow-up period of at least three years. One hundred thirty-five teeth and 141 tooth surfaces were examined. The degree of proximal surfaces and occlusal caries advancement was scored and statistical analyses (Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Kaplan-Meier analysis) were performed to evaluate caries progression rate. RESULTS: The results revealed that approximately 0.8 years were required for a carious lesion to progress from the outer enamel to the dentino-enamel junction, and an additional 1.4 years for it to reach the inner part of the dentin. CONCLUSIONS: The caries progression rate found in the present study is more rapid than previously found and affects more the lower socio economic population.
OBJECTIVES: The rate of caries progression in primary teeth has rarely been studied, with most studies on early childhood caries reporting the percentage of lesions that remain at a certain stage of disease over a period of time. The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and behavior of proximal and occlusal carious lesions in primary teeth among children from low socio-economic status. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective study was based on bite-wing radiographs of 95 children aged 5-12 taken at 6-12 months intervals, with a follow-up period of at least three years. One hundred thirty-five teeth and 141 tooth surfaces were examined. The degree of proximal surfaces and occlusal caries advancement was scored and statistical analyses (Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Kaplan-Meier analysis) were performed to evaluate caries progression rate. RESULTS: The results revealed that approximately 0.8 years were required for a carious lesion to progress from the outer enamel to the dentino-enamel junction, and an additional 1.4 years for it to reach the inner part of the dentin. CONCLUSIONS: The caries progression rate found in the present study is more rapid than previously found and affects more the lower socio economic population.
Authors: Luciano Zaffarano; Claudia Salerno; Guglielmo Campus; Silvia Cirio; Araxi Balian; Lorena Karanxha; Maria Grazia Cagetti Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-10-09 Impact factor: 4.614