A 12-Year Comparison of Dental Treatment Patterns in the Primary and Early Permanent Dentition

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine trends in primary and early permanent dentition treatment patterns and the relationships between them. Methods: A secondary data analysis was performed using Medicaid claims from 2011 to 2022 for North Carolina children ages zero to 12 years. Trends and expenditures of two primary dental treatment patterns were analyzed: early childhood caries (ECC), defined as treatment to primary maxillary incisors and/or primary first molars in zero- to five-year-olds; and late childhood caries (LCC), which comprised treatment to the proximal surfaces of primary molars in six to 12-year-olds. Trends in four early permanent dentition restorative treatment pat- terns were analyzed: (1) mesial surfaces of the permanent first molars; (2) pits and fissures of the permanent first molars; (3) maxillary anterior teeth; and (4) maxillary anterior and permanent first molars. The likelihood of children who had the listed restorative treatment to their early permanent dentition also having ECC and/or LCC treatment was investigated. Data analysis relied on descriptive statistics. Results: The proportion of children with LCC treatment and the yearly treatment expenditure were consistently two times more than that associated with ECC treatment throughout the 12-year period. Children who had early permanent dentition restorative treatment were, on average, two times as likely to have had LCC treament than ECC treatment. Conclusion: Future prevention and education strategies should target late childhood caries.