title: Dental radiographic findings in the elderly in Helsinki, Finland.
abstract: A total of 169 dentate persons, aged 76, 81, and 86 years, living at home in Helsinki, Finland, were examined by means of panoramic radiography supplemented by intraoral radiographs. The older the age group, the fewer teeth remained. Altogether 75% of the subjects had radiographically detectable caries. A high proportion of the carious teeth (62%) was found in a relatively small number (24%) of subjects. The number of carious teeth and their percentage of the total number of teeth were greater in the older age groups. The proportion of endodontically treated teeth was 19% in the 76-year-olds and 26% in the 86-year-olds. Of the subjects 41% had periapical periodontitis, which was commoner in root-filled teeth (18%) than in other teeth (4%). Caries and periapical radiolucent and radiopaque findings were commoner in men. Vertical bone pockets (3 mm or deeper) were found in 51% and furcation lesions in 28% of the subjects. Compared with earlier Finnish studies, the results indicate an improving oral health status among elderly Finns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ainamo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Soikkonen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Siukosaari
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Erkinjuntti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tilvis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valvanne
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007571:Jaw Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017213:Root Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging