Prosthetic Tooth Replacement in a German Population Over the Course of 11 Years: Results of the Study of Health in Pomerania

Purpose: To evaluate changes in distribution of teeth and in prosthodontic tooth replacement during an 11-year period in an adult population. Materials and Methods: Information on prosthetic status was collected from 4,288 participants aged 20 to 81 years at baseline in the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-0) and from 2,244 participants aged 30 to 92 years who reappeared in the 11-year follow-up (SHIP-2). The tooth distribution per arch was classified into one of the six following classes: class 0 (edentulous), class 1 (one to three remaining teeth), class 2 (extended tooth-bounded space or extreme shortened dental arch), class 3 (small anterior space), class 4 (small posterior space with one or more missing premolars), or class 5 (functional dentition). Results: Longitudinally, the most pronounced change in class was the transition from class 1 to class 0 (maxilla: 54.5%, mandible: 58.3%). The percent change from other higher classes to lower classes ranged between 10% and 40%. In the same age groups of 40 to 79 years, the number of edentate arches was cut in half, with a corresponding increase in functional dentitions. The proportion of unrestored arches decreased in all classes. Double crown-retained partial removable dental prostheses (PRDPs) showed the highest increase (a 15% to 20% increase) at the expense of acrylic PRDPs in classes 1 and 2. In small spaces, the proportion of fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) also increased by 15% to 20%. Seven participants of SHIP-0 (0.16%) and 56 participants of SHIP-2 (2.5%) had dental implants. Conclusion: Similar age groups showed improvement in oral conditions. The proportion of higher-end restorations (FDPs and double crown-retained PRDPs), including the frequency of dental implants, increased.