Tooth mobility in a nigerian specialist periodontology clinic

Abstract

Objective: Tooth mobility, which is a common problem among patients seeking dental health-care attention, causes occlusal instability, masticatory disturbances, esthetic challenges, and impaired quality of life. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of tooth mobility among patients attending a Nigerian specialist periodontology clinic. Materials and Methods: All the patients who visited the Periodontology Clinic of University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, from January to December 2014, were retrospectively studied. Those with recorded tooth mobility assessed using Miller tooth mobility index were further analyzed. Results: Of the 736 records assessed, 75 patients, aged between 18 and 94 years with median age of 56 years and mean age of 53.89 ± 17.82 years, had tooth mobility, giving a prevalence of 10.2%. The greater proportion of the patients were elderly (32.0%), females (58.7%), ever married (82.7%), indigenous (61.3%), and completely dentate (53.3%). The leading primary presenting complaints were toothache (37.3%), teeth replacement (14.7%), and shaking teeth (13.3%). Nearly half (48.0%) of the patients had one or more underlying medical condition. About two-thirds (61.3%) cleaned their teeth once daily, and 58.7% had previous visits to the dentist. The total number of mobile teeth was 202. Incisors (59.4%) and first molars (7.4%) were found to be the dominant mobile teeth. The mean debris score, calculus score, and oral hygiene score were 1.40 ± 0.09, 1.49 ± 0.12, and 2.78 ± 0.18, respectively, using simplified oral hygiene index. Conclusion: Data from this study revealed that one out of every ten patients attending Nigerian periodontology clinic had tooth mobility of varying grades, and teeth of esthetic (incisors) and masticatory ( first molars) value were mainly affected. Prompt and effective care should be rendered to facilitate retention of the affected teeth.