Prevalence of periodontal pocketing and tooth mobility according to tooth types in Nigerians--a pilot study

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of periodontal pocketing and tooth mobility according to the tooth types in the mouth. There is a paucity of knowledge concerning which tooth types are more prone to periodontal disease from the review of literature. The study sample comprised 255 subjects, age ranged 16 years to 74 years. These subjects were those referred to the Periodontology Clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, for one form of periodontal disease or the other. All the teeth were tested for periodontal pocketing using William's periodontal probe (Astir Intermedica, Kensington, London) and for tooth mobility using the Miller's Mobility Index method. The study showed that prevalence of tooth mobility is in this descending order--lower incisors, upper incisors, upper first molars, upper second molars, lower first and second molar, the premolars and lastly, the canines with the least occurrence on the upper left canines. This order is slightly different for prevalence of periodontal pocketing. The teeth most affected by pocketing were the upper second molars, followed by upper first molars, lower second molars with the least being the canines. It is suggested that exceptional care be given to these most susceptible teeth for periodontal disease in the mouth in order to prevent the development of irreversible damage of the periodontium.