Objectives: To investigate reasons for tooth extraction and its association with age and gender in Kuwait.
Subjects and methods: A record of all tooth extractions performed in 21 general dental practice centers during a 1-month period was logged on specially designed study forms. The patient's age and gender, number of teeth extracted, and the reason(s) for the extraction were recorded.
Results: A total of 2,783 teeth were extracted in 1,604 patients (1.73 +/- 0.07 teeth per patient). Caries and periodontal disease were responsible for 43.7 and 37.4% of extractions, respectively. Caries was the principal cause for extraction in patients < or =40 years old (60.7%), while periodontal disease was the main cause of extractions in patients > or =40 years of age (63.0%). Extractions for caries and orthodontic reasons were more common in females, while extractions for periodontal disease were more prevalent in males. Molars and maxillary premolars were more commonly extracted due to caries, while mandibular premolars, and maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth (canines and incisors) were more commonly extracted due to periodontal disease.
Conclusions: The data show that caries is the principal cause for extractions in younger patients, while periodontal disease accounts for the majority of tooth extractions in patients older than 40 years. Furthermore, this study indicates that more teeth per patient are lost to periodontal disease than for any other reason.