Caries patterns in the primary dentition: cluster analysis of a sample of 5169 Arizona children 5-59 months of age.
OBJECTIVE
Cluster analysis was conducted on data from 5,169 United States (U.S.) Arizona children, age's 5-59-months with the goal of delineating patterns of caries in the primary dentition of pre-school children without a priori pattern definitions.


METHODS
Cluster analyses were conducted using all data for children ages 0-4 years in aggregate: (1) for all subjects, and (2) for subjects without crowned restored teeth. Each of these two sets of analyses consisted of 8 differently specified cluster analyses as a validation procedure.


RESULTS
The caries patterns identified from the clustering analysis are: (1) smooth surfaces (other than the maxillary incisor), (2) maxillary incisor, (3) occlusal surfaces of first molars, and (4) pit and fissure surfaces of second molars.


CONCLUSIONS
The cluster analysis findings were consistent with results produced by multidimensional scaling. These cross-validated patterns may represent resulting disease conditions from different risks or the timing of various risk factor exposures. As such, the patterns may be useful case definitions for caries risk factor investigations in children under 60 months of age.
Psoter
Walter J
WJ
Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York 10010, USA. wp9@nyu.edu
Pendrys
David G
DG
Morse
Douglas E
DE
Zhang
He-ping
HP
Mayne
Susan T
ST
D001130:Arizona / Q000453:epidemiology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003750:Dental Fissures / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008437:Maxilla; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology*