Content area
Full Text
ABSTRACT The aim of this cross sectional prospective study was to determine reasons and patterns of permanent 1st molar extraction in patients reporting to oral and maxillofacial surgery department at Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Rawalpindi. All patients referred to oral and maxillofacial surgery department for extraction of permanent first molar teeth from 1st of January 2009 till 31st of December 2009 were included in the study irrespective of their age and gender. The primary reason of extraction was recorded along with other relevant information. The pattern of extractions of the permanent first molars was also noted. A total of 470 patients were included in the study. Out of these 291 (61.9%) were males (M: F 1.6:1). Caries was the most common cause with 281 extractions (59.8%) in all age groups in both genders followed by periodontitis, which was responsible for 109 (23.2%) of permanent first molar extractions.
Mandibular molars were more frequently extracted (62.7%) as compared to the maxillary molars 37.3%), with the mandibular left molar being the most frequently extracted tooth in the sample population.
Key words: Caries, First molar loss, Periodontal disease INTRODUCTION The permanent first molar is the first permanent tooth to erupt into the oral cavity1-3 around six years of age 4 hence also called the 6-year molar. 5, 6 The perma- nent first molar is the largest and strongest of all the teeth.7, 8 It plays an important role in mastication and guiding eruption of other posterior teeth into proper occlusion.
Numerous studies have investigated causes of extraction of permanent teeth with the conclusion that caries are the most common reason for dental extractions in the first four decades of life and that the periodontal diseases are more frequent than all other reasons for tooth extraction for the age group beyond 40 years.9 However, no study exists which has exclu- sively investigated the causes and patterns of extrac- tion of permanent first molars and this study was carried out to explore this domain, as it was our observation that a lot many patients were presenting to the oral surgery department for getting their perma- nent molars extracted.
The results of this study will hopefully instigate general dentists and specialists to emphasize on the need for improvement in oral...