title: Evaluation of odontological assistance to soldiers going on a mission, and prognostication of their odontological problems.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the condition of the oral cavity in soldiers going on a military mission, the level of odontological assistance to them, and to prognosticate possible odontological problems during the mission period. We studied 50 soldiers going on a military mission in Iraq. During the study we applied odontological examination and panoramic imaging. We found that soldiers' teeth were treated, and they received comprehensive odontological assistance: 18% of soldiers had their teeth restored with single crowns and bridges, and 56% of soldiers had underwent endodontic treatment of their teeth. During the radiological examination we diagnosed individual cases of dental caries on the contact surfaces of teeth, and determined the level of the filling of root canals of endodontically treated teeth and the relationship of this level with radiological changes in apical periodontium. 67.3% of teeth had incompletely filled root canals, and radiological changes in their apical periodontium were reliably more frequent (80.6%) than in the apical periodontium of teeth with completely filled root canals (19.4%) (p<0.001). Of significant concern is the fact that frequently teeth with incompletely filled root canals and apical periodontal damage are restored using radical post-core and crowns. Radiological examination showed that in teeth with signs of chronic apical periodontitis and insufficient quality of filling, the condition may become more acute and cause odontological problems. A part of odontological problems in soldiers may be caused by incorrect position of the third molars in the jaw and possible aggravated eruption of these teeth.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Dental and Oral Pathology, Eiveniu str. 2, Kaunas, Lithuania. irenaned@med.kmu.lt
authors.forename: Nijole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kelbauskiene
authors.forename: Eduardas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kelbauskas
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nedzelskiene
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003788:Dental Pulp Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012390:Root Canal Therapy