Evaluation of tooth mortality among children attending a paediatric dental clinic in South East, Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: To identified the prevalence and pattern of tooth extraction among children attending a Paediatric Dental Clinic.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of 687 children aged 16 years and below seen at the Paediatric Dental Clinic of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu from January 2016 to December 2018. Data on age, sex, tooth type and reasons for tooth extraction was collected retrospectively from dental records. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 21.

Results: One hundred and four (15.1%) out of 687 children seen within the period had tooth extractions. There were 45 (43.3%) males and 59 (56.7%) females. The modal age group was 6-8years (39.4%). One hundred and seventy-six teeth were extracted within the period, comprising 146 primary teeth and 30 permanent teeth. Teeth 51,61,71,81 and 11 were the commonest teeth extracted in primary and permanent dentition respectively. The commonest reason for tooth extraction was retained tooth 83 (47.2%).

Conclusion: Less than one-fifth of the children had tooth extraction and the commonest reason for tooth extraction was retained primary teeth. The commonest teeth extracted in primary dentition were primary central incisors while first permanent molars were the commonest teeth extracted in permanent dentition. More females than males had tooth extraction. Tooth extraction was done mostly in 6-8year old children.