Indications for extraction of permanent teeth in a Nigerian teaching hospital: a 16-year follow-up study

The aim of the present study was to investigate reasons for permanent tooth extraction at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, and compare this with a study done 16 years previously in the same institution, with a view to evaluating trends in reasons for tooth extractions in the studied environment.

A retrospective review of patients who had nonsurgical extraction of their teeth at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria between January and December, 2006 was carried out. The following data were retrieved: Age and sex of patients, reason for the extraction and types of tooth removed. The data obtained was compared with similar study done 16 years previously in the same institution.

Caries and its sequelae and periodontal diseases were the main reasons for tooth extraction in both study periods. Caries and its sequelae as a reason for dental extraction in the second period increased by a factor of 1.2 in comparison with the first period, whereas periodontal disease as a reason extraction in the second period decreased by a factor of 2.7. In addition, orthodontic reasons and tooth impaction as a reason for dental extraction increased by a factor of 4 and 1.3 in the second period respectively. In both study periods, most extractions were carried out in patients within age group 11-40 years (1990, 77%; 2006, 62.3%). Teeth most frequently extracted were posterior teeth (1990, 89.2%; 2006, 89.4%).

Dental caries and its sequelae, and periodontal disease despite being preventable diseases, still remain the two most common reasons for dental extraction in our environment. Therefore, efforts must be made to improve the dental health awareness and status of Nigerian populace to reduce the morbidity associated with the two preventable causes of tooth loss.