Human lingual pit caries: Distribution between right and left maxillary incisors

Abstract

Data were analysed from the records of dental surgeons with practices in the North East of England and from Gloucestershire in the South. The distributions were determined of persons with caries experience at one or both lingual pits of lateral maxillary incisors, and at one or both lingual pits of central maxillary incisors. These distributions were calculated for quinquennial age-groups from 15 to 59 yr of age, and for those aged 60 yr and above. For lateral incisors, the ratio of the frequency of asymmetric attacks (right only and left only), to that of symmetric attacks (right and left pits), increased with age up to about 40 yr of age. For central incisors, the corresponding ratio showed a more complicated age-dependence, increasing from 15 to 29 yr, decreasing from 29 to 44 yr, and then remaining fairly constant. It is argued that the data cannot be explained in terms of preventive fillings or selective extractions. They support the hypothesis that the distribution of attacks of caries among the lingual pits of central and lateral incisors is determined by genetic factors.