The status of periapical tissues of root filled teeth in Croatian adult subjects

Aim To determine the status of periapical tissues of root filled teeth in Croatian adult subjects in relation to age, gender, position of teeth and length of root filling. Methodology This study involved 163 Croatian adult patients (413 teeth). All subjects presented as new patients seeking routine dental care in a university dental clinic within a two year period. Data collection included questionnaires and examination of digital orthopantomograms. Patients younger than 18 years, patients having less than eight teeth, and patients who had rot canal treatment within the previous two year period were excluded. The periapical status of root-filled teeth was assessed using the periapical index system (PAI), described by Orstavik et al. 1986. The periapical status of root filled teeth was evaluated in relation to age, gender, position of teeth and length of root filling. Raw data were entered to an Excel database and statistical tests were carried out using the Statistica 8.1 package. One-way ANOVA and post hoc tests were used at the P level of 0.05. Results Subjects of the age group under 30 years had significantly higher PAI values than age groups from 31-40 (P=0.018), 41-50 (P=0.003) and 51-60 (P=0.012). There was no significant gender difference in periapical status (P=0.117). Molar teeth had considerably higher PAI values in comparison to premolar (P=0.014) and anterior (P>0.001) teeth. Teeth with adequate length of root fillings had considerably lower PAI scores in comparison to underfilled (P<0.001) and overfilled (P=0.017) teeth. Conclusions The status of the periapical tissues in root filled teeth was affected mostly by the position of teeth and the length of the root filling. Higher PAI values are found in molar teeth as well as in root filled teeth with inadequate length of root filling.