DEGREE OF SYMMETRY OF DENTAL CARIES IN PRIMARY DENTITION

Lee, Kwang-Hee; La, Ji-Young; An, So-Youn; Kim, Yun-Hee

Journal of the Korean Academy of Pediatric Dentistry 2010;37(4):453-460.
Published online November 30, 2010.

DEGREE OF SYMMETRY OF DENTAL CARIES IN PRIMARY DENTITION

Kwang-Hee Lee, Ji-Young La, So-Youn An, Yun-Hee Kim

Department of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Wonkwang University

유치열 치아우식증의 구강내 대칭도

이광희, 라지영, 안소연, 김윤희

원광대학교 치과대학 소아치과학교실

Correspondence: Kwang-Hee Lee, Tel: 063-859-2975, Email: kwhlee@wonkwang.ac.kr

Received: 30 August 2010 • Accepted: 4 November 2010

Abstract

This study was one of the caries pattern studies. The purpose was to investigate the degree of intraoral symmetry of dental caries in the primary dentition. The dmfs data from children aged 36 to 71 months were analyzed. Pearson correlation coefficients between right teeth and left teeth were from 0.558 (upper canines) to 0.847 (upper central incisors) and 0.905 in total (P<0.01). Differences between right teeth and left teeth were mostly not significant (P>0.05). Pearson correlation coefficients between upper teeth and lower teeth were from 0.150 (right lateral incisors) to 0.506 (right first molars) and 0.680 in total (P<0.01). Differences between upper teeth and lower teeth were mostly significant (P<0.05). Percentages of bilateral caries experience cases per cases having caries experience were from 34.0% (upper canines) to 80.1% (upper central incisors), and from 53.9% (distal) to 84.9% (mesial) in upper central incisors, from 34.1% (mesial) to 45.0% (occlusal) in upper first molars, from 20.7% (distal) to 48.0% (occlusal) in upper second molars, from 34.4% (buccal) to 58.1% (occlusal) in lower first molars, and from 29.7% (distal) to 61.4% (occlusal) in lower second molars, respectively.

Key Words: Primary dentition, Dental caries, Symmetry, Bilateral