Prosthetic Management of Patients Presenting with Juvenile Peridontitis at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital

Objective: To relate the pattern of tooth loss to tooth replacement in patients diagnosed with juvenile periodontitis at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital [LUTH]. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of the pattern of tooth loss and replacement in all patients diagnosed with juvenile periodontitis and post-juvenile periodontitis between March 2000 and June 2004 was carried out. Data collected from the clinical records of each patient contained: Name, Age, Sex, Type of missing teeth at presentation and pattern of tooth replacement. Results: A total of 27 patients were diagnosed with juvenile periodontitis during this period. Eighteen were referred for prosthetic replacement. Their age ranged between 18 and 36 years. A total of 24 removable partial dentures were fabricated, 17[70.8%] were kennedy class III type, of which 11[64.7%] had the bounded saddle located in the anterior segment. Majority 8[44.4%] of the patients had 2-4 teeth replaced even when more than 10 teeth were missing. Upper and lower anterior teeth accounted for 75.3% of the total number of teeth replaced. Though upper and lower 1st molars accounted for 19[22.1%] of missing teeth at presentation, they only accounted for 16[15.4%] of teeth replaced. Conclusion: The main objective of prosthetic rehabilitation is the restoration of the integrity of the dental arches. However, the choice of teeth replaced in the partial dentures provided for the patients in this study was based on the choice of the patients, and their choice was determined by aesthetics and affordability. Keywords: Juvenile periodontitis, pattern of partial tooth replacement.NQJHM Vol. 15 (3) 2005: pp. 138-14