Approximal caries prevalence in Danish recruits and progression of caries in the late teens: A retrospective radiographic study

This study aimed to assess radiographically the prevalence and distribution of approximal caries in Danish recruits and to estimate the rate of caries progression during the recruits' late teens. To assess caries progression radiographs taken previously (when leaving the Public Dental Health Care Se rvice, usually at the age of 16-18) were requested. Of 676 recruits previou s radiographs (taken 1-7 years earlier) were procured for 640. Approximal s urfaces from 7d to 4m in the maxilla and the mandible were assessed for the absence or presence/depth of caries and restorations. Caries progression w as expressed by the incidence rate indicating the number of new lesions/num ber of lesions with progression per 100 years. In the maxilla the average p revalence of enamel and dentine caries was 8.3 and 6.2%, respectively. Over all, 6m had the highest caries experience. In the mandible the average prev alence of enamel and dentine caries was 10.7 and 5.8%, respectively. The hi ghest caries experience was found in 6d. Twenty percent of the recruits had no caries experience in the surfaces under study, 9% had caries experience in 1 surface, 13% in 4-5 surfaces and 25% in more than 10 surfaces. For al l surfaces combined, the median incidence rate for the transition from soun d to enamel caries was 2.4 surfaces per 100 years, ranging from 0.4 in mand ibular 7d to 5.5 in mandibular 6d. The median rate for progression from the enamel to the outer ha If of the dentine was 9.2 surfaces per 100 years, r anging from 4.4 in mandibular 5m to 18.9 in mandibular 6d. The median incid ence rate for progression from the outer to the inner half of the dentine w as 2.3 surfaces per 100 years. However, this figure was based on a small nu mber of events and should therefore be interpreted with caution. In conclus ion, enamel and dentine caries was found in 9 and 6% of the approximal surf aces in newly called up recruits, and one quarter of the recruits had carie s experience in more than 10 approximal surfaces. Generally, the developmen t of new approximal lesions and the progression of enamel caries was a slow process during the late teens. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.