Background factors associated with endodontic treatment due to caries in young permanent teeth.

Objective: The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the association between background factors and future endodontic treatment due to caries in young permanent teeth.

Material And Methods: The material comprised all 19-year-olds born in 1979 in a city in Sweden who had experienced endodontic treatment due to caries in permanent teeth (n=105) and a control group with no endodontic treatment. From dental records, the following independent variables were derived from age 7 to age 19: immigrant background, caries prevalence (DMFT values) at age 10, occurrence of dental anxiety, and missed or cancelled appointments before endodontic treatment. The outcome variable was presence or absence of endodontic treatment due to caries. Bivariate analysis and a multiple logistic regression model were used to analyse the data.

Results: In the bivariate analyses, all independent variables except cancelled appointments were statistically significantly associated with future endodontic treatment. Of these, immigrant background did not remain as a statistically significant factor in the multiple regression model. The highest odds ratios were 4.3 for >2 DMFT at age 10 and 4.1 for >20% missed appointments.

Conclusion: In the present sample, with a relatively high proportion of individuals with an immigrant background, >2 DMFT at age 10, many missed appointments and dental anxiety were all risk indicators for future endodontic treatment due to caries up to age 19.