Tooth Mortality and Prosthetic Treatment Needs Among the Urban and Rural Adult Population of Dharwad District, India

Purpose: To assess the tooth mortality and prosthetic treatment needs among the urban and rural adult population of Dharwad district. Materials and Methods: A total of 1223 subjects (685 urban and 538 rural) were selected using multi-stage cluster random sampling. A form was prepared and data were collected on sociodemographic factors, tooth mortality and its causes and prosthetic treatment needs by the interview method and clinical examination. Results: The rural population compared to urban, increased age and females compared to males had higher tooth mortality rates, which was demonstrated by the multiple logistic regression model. Dental caries and periodontal diseases were the two reasons for increased tooth mortality in the population studied. A proportion of 50.01% of the population required some form of prosthetic treatment. Conclusion: Age, gender and location were positive predictors of tooth mortality. Greater prosthetic treatment needs were observed among the rural population. Keywords: dental caries, periodontal disease, prosthetic treatment needs, tooth mortality