Frequency and causes of premature extractions of deciduous molar teeth – a retrospective study

Abstract

Summary Introduction. Premature loss of deciduous molar teeth is a common cause of dysfunction of the masticatory system. Analysis of the causes of premature extractions of these teeth will allow the appropriate targeting of preventive and therapeutic interventions. Aim. To determine the frequency and causes of premature extraction of deciduous molar teeth. Material and methods. Analysis of randomly selected 1880 medical records of the patients of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry (Medical University of Warsaw) concerned the necessity and causes of premature extractions of deciduous molar teeth in children under the age of 6 and the course of previous dental treatment. Data was analyzed statistically using the Mann-Whitney U-test, Spearman's rank correlation and a chi-square test; significance level - p ≤ 0.05. Results. 228 deciduous molar teeth were extracted in 139 children, most commonly due to inflammation of the pulp and its complications (abscesses, fistulas) - 84.7%, and carious destruction - 7.9%. The incidence of acute purulent inflammation decreased with age, whereas the occurrence of chronic pulpitis increased. 87.3% of the extracted teeth had not been previously treated, 7.5% had fillings and 5.2% had been pulpotomized. 54.7% of the patients had a single tooth removed and the rest - more than one. Maxillary first molars were most frequently extracted. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of gender. No relationship between age and the number of the removed tooth was found. There was a positive correlation between chronic inflammation of the pulp and age; negative correlation was found between age and acute inflammatory process of the pulp or periapical tissue as causes of extraction (Spearman's rank correlation, p < 0.05). A statistically significant difference in the average amount of premature extractions performed per one patient was found - more than one tooth was more often extracted in boys (Mann-Whitney U-test, P = 0.034).