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Dental treatment needs in three institutions for the handicapped
Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology
|April 1, 1986
Summary
Dental treatment needs for handicapped individuals in Ireland included caries, periodontal disease, and dentures. Older patients required more extractions and restorations, while calculus removal was the most common periodontal need.
Area of Science:
- Oral health
- Dental public health
- Disability studies
Background:
- Assessing dental treatment needs in institutionalized handicapped populations is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Previous national surveys provide a framework for standardized oral health assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the dental treatment requirements of handicapped individuals in three institutions in Cork, Ireland.
- To compare treatment provision by primary and secondary dental care providers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized criteria and methods from the National Survey of Childrens' Dental Health in Ireland, based on WHO Oral Health Surveys.
- Assessed treatment needs for caries, periodontal disease, and dentures in 194 handicapped persons.
- Documented treatment completion by undergraduate/junior staff (primary care) and consultant staff (secondary care).
Main Results:
- The most common periodontal treatment need was the removal of sub- and supragingival calculus.
- Older handicapped patients exhibited the highest need for extractions and complex restorations.
- Dental treatment was successfully completed for 130 patients by primary care and 64 by secondary care providers.
Conclusions:
- Significant dental treatment needs exist within the institutionalized handicapped population.
- Age is a factor influencing the type and complexity of dental treatment required.
- A tiered approach to dental care provision, involving both primary and secondary services, can effectively address these needs.