Success Rate of Dental Treatment Among Drug Addicts; Retrospective Study

Objective: This study aimed to determine the success rate of dental treatment among drug addicts in Norway. Methods: A database was created over seven years period. The patient group consisted of 592 drug addicts under rehabilitation (N: males= 428 (72%); females= 164 (27.7%)) with a mean age of 38 (Range: 18-68 years). The dental treatments were carried out in a standardized dental clinic at the Specialist Oral Health Centre for Western Norway, by a single dentist. The treatments were categorized into three phases; (1) Recording of anamnestic information, clinical examination and diagnosis, temporary treatment with elimination of infections; instruction in oral hygiene (3 visits), (2) Systematic preserving treatment (7 visits), (3) Prosthetic rehabilitation (3 visits). Results: The anamnestic data revealed that heroine (56.8%) and amfetamine (39.4%) were the most commonly drug used. Others were mix of pills (29.9%), extacy (26%), opioids (19.8%), cannabis (13%) and cocaine (1.9%). Alcohol was used by 20.3%, where 10% of the patients were pure alcoholics and 63.9% smoked. Mean DMFT was 18, with a median of 19, (Range: 0-28). This study recorded 94.4%, 48.1% and 33.4% success rate after the completion of the first, second and third treatment phases, of the total population. However, given the total number of patients that entered each treatment phase, the success rate was recorded: 94.4% (N for phase 1: 592); 56.7% (N for phase 2: 503) and 83.5% (N for phase 3: 237). Interestingly 39 patients (6.6% of patients offered all three phases of the treatment) completed phase 1 and 3 only. Conclusions: It was identified that the mean DMFT was 18. Among drug addicts that were offered and completed the first, second and third phase treatment, there was a 94.4%, 56.7% and 83.5% chances of successful dental treatment. 6.6% (N:39) did complete phase 1 and phase 3 only.