Percentages of lifetime caries experience retained by eight systems of partial DMF-recording

Eight partial recording systems were compared. Averages of D(M)FS experiences retained by the different systems ranged from 81.0 to 93.6%. The percentages of D(M)FS experience retained varied when the systems were applied on different data on caries occurrence by surfaces. Most systems gave a fairly accurate assessment of the caries reduction in Norwegian schoolchildren due to war-time dietary restrictions.