Trends and causes of tooth extractions in general dentistry practice

Case in Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Although a significant percentage of people in Ontario, Canada still have their teeth pulled, little is known about the causes of tooth loss. 128 general dentists in Ontario participated in this survey, providing data on 6143 patients they saw over the course of a reference week. Of these patients, almost one in seven had undergone or planned to undergo one or more extractions as part of their current treatment regimen. Patients who had at least one tooth extracted had an average of 2.3 extractions (SD = 2.5). On average, emergency patients had fewer teeth extracted than non-emergency patients, but they were more likely to have at least one extraction. The primary cause of tooth loss in children was orthodontics; cavities remained a significant contributor to tooth loss at all ages; and after the age of forty, periodontal disease was responsible for greater tooth loss than caries.

Overall, more permanent teeth were taken due to periodontal disease than caries, which sets this study apart from nearly all others. Of the lost teeth, the former was responsible for 35.9% and the latter for 28.9%. It is in line with epidemiological statistics on periodontal disease in the Ontario population and data indicating that residents receive little periodontal care, albeit this could be because to methodological variations between this study and others.