ENDODONTIC STATUS OF MANDIBULAR PREMOLARS AND MOLARS IN SWEDISH ADULTS - A REPEATED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN 1974 AND IN 1985

The purpose of the study was to find out whether the prevalence of end odontically treated teeth and teeth with apical periodontitis, as obse rved in the mandibular premolar and molar region, was lower in 1985 co mpared with 1974. in the adult Swedish population. Another purpose was to determine whether the technical quality of the root fillings had i mproved between 1974. and 1985. The material examined consisted of per iapical radiographs of the mandibular premolar and molar region in 861 of 1302 people sampled in 1974. and in 586 of 726 people sampled in 1 985 both representing an adult Swedish population. The observations in this study of the prevalence of endodontically treated teeth and teet h with apical periodontitis in 1985 and in 1974. indicated a markedly improved endodontic health in the adult Swedish population in the age- groups under 40 years in 1985 compared with 1974. These findings were in line with observations on the number of intact and restored teeth i n the same cross-sectional samples. Another finding was an improved te chnical quality of the root fillings in 1985 compared with in 1974. Fa vourable periapical conditions were observed in teeth with adequately obturated root canals in 1985 as well as in 1974.