3-dimensional analysis about the effects of aging and risk factors on changes in oral environment

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of aging and various risk factors on the oral environment and to analyze them in 3-dimensions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 800 patients were enrolled in this study, and subjects were divided into 4 groups by age-under 55, 56 – 65, 66 – 75, and over 76. Based on their most recent visit, the number of crowns, bridges, implants, and the remaining natural teeth were recorded. Smoking habits, along with presence of diabetes and hypertension, were surveyed, as risk factors were also set as a variable. Comparisons among the groups or within the groups were performed by independent t-test, and one-way and two-way ANOVA. Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for analysis. It was assumed to be statistically significant when P value is below .05. RESULTS: Changes in the number of crowns, bridges, implants, and the remaining natural teeth by age were statistically significant. When we examined the effect of risk factors on the change of variables with age, hypertension was found to affect the number of bridges. Diabetes and smoking were found to affect the number of the remaining natural teeth. The other variables were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Aging is considered to be an important variable affecting the change of oral environment. Among the risk factors, the presence of smoking habit and diabetes is thought to have a great influence on the change of the number of the remaining natural teeth.