Coronal caries and restorations in an elderly population in Germany

In an epidemiologic study, the dental health status of elderly persons in Germany was investigated. A total of 458 persons aged 60 yr and over participated in the study, with 89 persons being residents of old-people's homes. With a mean DMFS score of 87.3, the mean number of manifest caries was low (1.2) and the standard of conservative and prosthetic care high. Of a mean number of 17.75 filled surfaces, 59.6% were surfaces with crowns. Dental health is a social problem. The mean number of caries cavities was 10 times higher in institutionalized elderly persons of low social class than in non-institutionalized persons of the same age. Finally, initiatives to improve oral and dental hygiene in all age groups examined in this study are urgently required.