Abstract
Patients who visited the Pedodontic Clinic, Niigata University Dental Hospital for the initial examination in 1980,1988 and 1996 were investigated during the past 17 years to discover the changes in the actual conditions of the patients and fulfill the dental requirements in our community. The following results were obtained;
1. The number of patients who visited our clinic for the initial appointment in 1980,1988 and 1996was 1,079,808 and 526 respectively. It seemed that the decreasing tendency was related to the birthrate in Niigata prefecture.
2. The proportion of patients with chief complaints of dental caries and with severe dental caries has decreased, compared to 1980,1988 and 1996. In contrast, the percentage with malocclusion or tooth abnormality has increased.
3. The number of referral patients from the other dental clinics increased in 1996, and doubled that of 1980.
4. In the case of the primary teeth, the number of treated teeth decreased gradually in staged I C and II A of Hellman's dental age in 1980,1988 and 1996. In stages II C and III A, however, it increased once again in 1996 although it decreased in 1988. In the case of the permanent teeth, the number of treated teeth decreased in stages IIIA and IIIB.
5. The proportion of primary teeth treated with composite resin increased. In contrast, the proportion of the primary teeth treated with metal crowns or resin jacket crowns decreased. In the case of the permanent teeth, the proportion of teeth treated with fisher sealant and composite resin increased.
6. The proportion of patients who visited periodically for more than 3 years to receive oral examination increased in all age group in 1988, compared to the patients in 1980.
