Dental caries status and derived treatment needs among young Israeli adults--a clinical and radiographic study.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the caries status and derived treatment needs of young Israeli army recruits based on clinical and radiographic examination.

METHODS

This prospective study consisted of a population of 685 young Israeli army recruits (18-19 years old). Participants' dental status was evaluated using the WHO caries diagnostic criteria for decayed, missing and filled teeth and surfaces (DMFT and DMFS, respectively). Two bitewing radiographs were taken. Dental files and radiographs were carefully reviewed to calculate and record the DMFT and DMFS values. The severity of caries lesions was evaluated and classified into 5 treatment oriented grades.

RESULTS

The total DMFT and DMFS values were 6.09 +/- 5.29 and 10.18 +/- 10.28, respectively. Active caries-free patient rate, represented by D=0, was 38.7%. DMF value was 0 (i.e., no previous caries experience) in 17.2% of the subjects. Caries lesions were mostly moderate (68.25%); 19.86% were minimal,

CONCLUSIONS

In young Israeli adults, there has been a decline in caries severity. Examination of caries severity provides discrimination between caries lesions that require various treatments and minimal caries lesions that necessitate preventive measures and follow-up only. This enables time, manpower skills and economic demands required for dental treatment to be determined.