Premature Loss of Deciduous Teeth and Space Management in Jos

OBJECTIVE: This was a two-year retrospective study aimed at determining the level of space management due to premature loss of deciduous teeth in general dental practice (GDP). METHOD: Data were recorded from case notes of children aged 3-14 years that had extraction of deciduous teeth from January 2000 to December 2001, at Plateau State Government Dental Center. RESULT: 862 deciduous teeth were prematurely extracted over the period as a result of caries 777 (90.1%) and Trauma 85 (9.9%). A total of 336 (39%) of the 862 deciduous teeth extracted were 1st molars; out of which 87 (25.9%), 167 (49.7%) and 82 (24.4%) were from ages 3-5, 6-8 and 9 years and above respectively with mean age 6.97 ± 2.09. A total of 354 (41%) of the 862 deciduous teeth extracted were 2nd molars; out of which 90 (25.7%), 165 (36.6%) and 98 (27.7%) were from ages 3-5, 6-8, and 9 years and above respectively with mean age 7.13 ± 2.33. Upper anterior losses due to caries accounted for 10.4% while lower anterior losses accounted for 0.8%. Losses due to trauma were limited to the upper (90.6%) and lower (8.2%) anterior sextants. Space maintainers were neither fabricated nor recommended for these children. CONCLUSION:This study has highlighted a pitfall in the management of paediatric dental patients, a factor that could predispose these sets of children to crowding and its sequelae. Organizing orthodontic update courses for GDPs would be imperative to addressing this problem and thus raising the orthodontic manpower need in Nigeria. The importance of continuous dental education programme for GDPs should be stressed. The study was funded by a grant from RCORTI for Africa, Jos.