[Frequency of tooth removal because of orthodontic reasons]

In certain orthodontic treatments therapy includes the removal of permanent tooth or teeth. The number of objective studies on assessing extraction frequency is low and values in the international publications range between wide limits. This shows that often the extraction decision in the treatment planning does is not made upon the criteria of evidence-based dentistry. In our practice, a retrospective analysis of treatment plans prepared between the 1st of January 2004 and the 31st of December 2006 (416 cases) has been performed. The overall prevalence of treatments with extraction was 41.59% for all patients, the rate was 51.63% in patients with permanent dentition at the time of the planning. The highest proportion of extraction (49.71%) was found in Class II subdivision 2 cases, and the lowest percentage (30.17%) in Class I cases. The decision for extraction does not seem to be influenced by cephalometric analysis directly. The higher percentage of extraction found in permanent dentition period shows that when we cannot use interceptive treatment alternatives, we are forced to extract tooth more frequently. On the other hand, the lower value in early mixed dentition period can be explained by the relatively higher number of treatments with the aim to avoid extraction.