www.sbdmj.com - Stomatologija - Baltic Dental and Maxillofacial Journal

Summary

The aim of the study was to evaluate the condition of the oral cavity in soldiers going on a military mission, the level of odontological assistance to them, and to prognosticate possible odontological problems during the mission period. We studied 50 soldiers going on a military mission in Iraq. During the study we applied odontological examination and panoramic imaging. We found that soldiers' teeth were treated, and they received comprehensive odontological assistance: 18% of soldiers had their teeth restored with single crowns and bridges, and 56% of soldiers had underwent endodontic treatment of their teeth. During the radiological examination we diagnosed individual cases of dental caries on the contact surfaces of teeth, and determined the level of the filling of root canals of endodontically treated teeth and the relationship of this level with radiological changes in apical periodontium. 67.3% of teeth had incompletely filled root canals, and radiological changes in their apical periodontium were reliably more frequent (80.6%) than in the apical periodontium of teeth with completely filled root canals (19.4%) (p<0.001). Of significant concern is the fact that frequently teeth with incompletely filled root canals and apical periodontal damage are restored using radical post-core and crowns.

Radiological examination showed that in teeth with signs of chronic apical periodontitis and insufficient quality of filling, the condition may become more acute and cause odontological problems. A part of odontological problems in soldiers may be caused by incorrect position of the third molars in the jaw and possible aggravated eruption of these teeth.

Key words: recruits, oral health, dental treatment needs

Received: 11 02 2006

Accepted for publishing: 27 06 2006

¹Clinic of Dental and Oral Pathology, Kaunas University of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania

²Kaunas University of Medicine

Nijole Kelbauskiene¹ - D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof.

Eduardas Kelbauskas¹ - D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof.

Irena Nedzelskiene² - biostatistician

Address correspondence to Nijole Kelbauskiene, Clinic of Dental and Oral Pathology, Eiveniu str. 2, Kaunas, Lithuania.

E-mail: irenaned@med.kmu.lt



	Baltic Dental and Maxillofacial Journal

June, 2006, Vol. 8, No. 2 CONTENTS SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES The severity of malocclusion and need for orthodontic treatment in correspondence with the age 35-38 Soft tissue profile of children with impaired nasal breathing 39-43 Chronic odontogenic maxillary sinusitis 44-48 Evaluation of odontological assistance to soldiers going on a mission, and prognostication of their odontological problems 49-52 Craniofacial morphology in parents of cleft children and healthy individuals 53-56 The most common genetic syndromes and associated anomalies in Latvian patients with cleft lip with or without palate 57-60 Construction faults associated with complete denture wearers' complains 61-64 © 2006 Stomatologija		Stomatologija 2006; 8 (2):49-52 206 KB Evaluation of odontological assistance to soldiers going on a mission, and prognostication of their odontological problems Nijole Kelbauskiene, Eduardas Kelbauskas, Irena Nedzelskiene Summary The aim of the study was to evaluate the condition of the oral cavity in soldiers going on a military mission, the level of odontological assistance to them, and to prognosticate possible odontological problems during the mission period. We studied 50 soldiers going on a military mission in Iraq. During the study we applied odontological examination and panoramic imaging. We found that soldiers' teeth were treated, and they received comprehensive odontological assistance: 18% of soldiers had their teeth restored with single crowns and bridges, and 56% of soldiers had underwent endodontic treatment of their teeth. During the radiological examination we diagnosed individual cases of dental caries on the contact surfaces of teeth, and determined the level of the filling of root canals of endodontically treated teeth and the relationship of this level with radiological changes in apical periodontium. 67.3% of teeth had incompletely filled root canals, and radiological changes in their apical periodontium were reliably more frequent (80.6%) than in the apical periodontium of teeth with completely filled root canals (19.4%) (p<0.001). Of significant concern is the fact that frequently teeth with incompletely filled root canals and apical periodontal damage are restored using radical post-core and crowns. Radiological examination showed that in teeth with signs of chronic apical periodontitis and insufficient quality of filling, the condition may become more acute and cause odontological problems. A part of odontological problems in soldiers may be caused by incorrect position of the third molars in the jaw and possible aggravated eruption of these teeth. Key words: recruits, oral health, dental treatment needs Received: 11 02 2006 Accepted for publishing: 27 06 2006 ¹Clinic of Dental and Oral Pathology, Kaunas University of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania ²Kaunas University of Medicine Nijole Kelbauskiene¹ - D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof. Eduardas Kelbauskas¹ - D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof. Irena Nedzelskiene² - biostatistician Address correspondence to Nijole Kelbauskiene, Clinic of Dental and Oral Pathology, Eiveniu str. 2, Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: irenaned@med.kmu.lt