IADR Abstract Archives
Bilateral Symmetry of Caries in Primary Dentition of Chilean Children
Objectives: Describe the presence of caries symmetry in primary dentition of Chilean children between 2 to 4 years old, receiving dental care in a community program.
Methods: Data from 1232 children between 2 to 4 years old who are part of the “Sembrando Sonrisas” program from “El Bosque” in Santiago, Chile, were selected to form part of this study. The clinical information from each subject was obtained from the program’s database. Pearson correlation coefficient and paired-sample t-test were calculated using SPSS 26.0 statistics software (Mac OS X). The ratio of bilateral caries was calculated in those children with one or more caries lesions.
Results: The average age was 2,89 years (±0,82). In the sample, 598 (48,5%) were girls and 634 (51,5%) boys. Girls had 0,91(±2,16) dft index and boys 1,24 (±0,10), difference which showed to be statistically significant (p-value: 0,014).
Pearson's correlation ranged from 0.379 (upper canines) to 0.716 (lower first molars) in relation to the dft index according to the dentition side (left or right). The difference in the dft values of primary teeth on the left versus right side was not significant (p-value> 0.05) for all deciduous teeth set.
The proportion of teeth with bilateral caries lesions among individuals with one or more lesions ranged from 22.2% (superior canines) to 79.7% (upper central incisors).
Conclusions: These results suggest that dental caries in primary dentition show a degree of symmetry between caries lesions of the right and left side. Differences in the degree of symmetry were observed according to the deciduous teeth set. Nonetheless, it is needed to consider zero-inflated data in future analyses.
Methods: Data from 1232 children between 2 to 4 years old who are part of the “Sembrando Sonrisas” program from “El Bosque” in Santiago, Chile, were selected to form part of this study. The clinical information from each subject was obtained from the program’s database. Pearson correlation coefficient and paired-sample t-test were calculated using SPSS 26.0 statistics software (Mac OS X). The ratio of bilateral caries was calculated in those children with one or more caries lesions.
Results: The average age was 2,89 years (±0,82). In the sample, 598 (48,5%) were girls and 634 (51,5%) boys. Girls had 0,91(±2,16) dft index and boys 1,24 (±0,10), difference which showed to be statistically significant (p-value: 0,014).
Pearson's correlation ranged from 0.379 (upper canines) to 0.716 (lower first molars) in relation to the dft index according to the dentition side (left or right). The difference in the dft values of primary teeth on the left versus right side was not significant (p-value> 0.05) for all deciduous teeth set.
The proportion of teeth with bilateral caries lesions among individuals with one or more lesions ranged from 22.2% (superior canines) to 79.7% (upper central incisors).
Conclusions: These results suggest that dental caries in primary dentition show a degree of symmetry between caries lesions of the right and left side. Differences in the degree of symmetry were observed according to the deciduous teeth set. Nonetheless, it is needed to consider zero-inflated data in future analyses.