PHYSIOLOGIC INTERDENTAL SPACES AND PROXIMAL CARIES IN THE ANTERIOR MAXILLARY PRIMARY DENTITION

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between interdental spaces and proximal caries in maxillary anterior primary teeth. 555 children aged 3-7 inhabit in Iksan were divided into two groups, depending on the presence of interdental space which was detected by a dental explorer. They were determined to have proximal caries if cavity was formed or the enamel surface was softened. The results were as follows : 1. Regarding interdental spaces, 77.4% had primate spaces; 54.4% had developmental spaces between central and lateral incisor, and 39.0% between central incisors. 2. Interproximal caries incidences in right primary canine, lateral incisor, and central incisor were 6.3%, 14.7%, and 33.5%, respectively. Also interproximal caries incidences in left primary central incisor, lateral incisor, and canine were 33.7%, 16.0%, and 4.7%, respectively. 3. Children with more interdental spaces had less caries incidence, but the relationship was weak(r=-0.024). 4. The mean caries incidence was higher in absence of interdental space of maxillary primary incisors than in presence of space. The mean caries incidence with no interdental space was twice as high as that with presence of interdental space.