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. 2013;22(6):555-60.
doi: 10.1159/000354193. Epub 2013 Aug 13.

Pulpal involvement-roots-sepsis index: a new method for describing the clinical consequences of untreated dental caries

Joanna Baginska  1 , Wanda Stokowska
Affiliations

Pulpal involvement-roots-sepsis index: a new method for describing the clinical consequences of untreated dental caries

Joanna Baginska et al. Med Princ Pract. 2013.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe a modification of the index of clinical consequences of untreated dental caries [pulpal involvement, ulceration, fistula and abscess (PUFA/pufa) index] to pulpal involvement-roots-sepsis (PRS/prs) and to compare the two indices using the example of caries in primary molar teeth in children aged 6-8 years.

Subjects and methods: The study sample included 542 children aged 6-8 years, from five randomly selected schools in the Bialystok District, Poland. The occurrence of clinical consequences of untreated caries in deciduous molars using the pufa and prs indices was evaluated. Data were analysed to express the prevalence, the experience and the distribution of particular pufa and prs codes in the sample population. The differences in layout of the pufa and prs components were expressed.

Results: The response rate was 77.6%. The prevalence of the clinical consequences of untreated caries was 40.77%, mean pufa and prs were the same (0.85 ± 1.33). According to the pufa index, the following mean values were obtained: p = 0.79, u = 0.01, f = 0.04 and a = 0.01. For the prs index, the mean values were as follows: p = 0.45, r = 0.35 and s = 0.05.

Conclusion: The proposed prs index was a useful epidemiological instrument for the evaluation of the clinical consequences of untreated caries in the surveyed population. The PRS instrument could be a good alternative to the PUFA index.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The possible methods of transferring the diagnoses from PUFA to PRS.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The clinical examples of the PRS index categories. a Pulpal involvement (P/p). b Roots (R/r). c Fistula (S/s). d Abscess (A/a).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The distribution of individual pufa codes with reference to the prs index in the surveyed population.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Modifications to the PUFA index: are they justified at this stage?
    Holmgren C, van Palenstein Helderman W, Monse B, Heinrich-Weltzien R, Benzian H. Holmgren C, et al. Med Princ Pract. 2014;23(3):292-3. doi: 10.1159/000357271. Epub 2014 Jan 7. Med Princ Pract. 2014. PMID: 24401280 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
  • Reply: To PMID 20002630.
    Baginska J, Stokowska W. Baginska J, et al. Med Princ Pract. 2014;23(3):293-4. Med Princ Pract. 2014. PMID: 24977294 No abstract available.

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