[A proposal for a classification of the oral findings in elderly retired persons in nursing homes]

A systematic collection of dental data is suggested with the aim of providing a simple overview of the degree of dentition in a specified cohort of patients. The classification consists of eight divisions described and defined on the basis of the most frequent typical oral situations found in elderly, disabled residents of nursing homes. The data of elderly people living at home show major differences in comparison to the defined group. This classification should therefore primarily be used in studies on disabled aged residents in nursing homes and similar institutions. Standardized classification allows comparison of results from different nursing homes. Any possible changes of the state of the dentition in nursing home residents can also be visualized in longitudinal studies through the use of standardized data.