Prevalence and quality of endodontic treatment in an urban adult population in Norway

Abstract There are few studies on the prevalence of chronic apical periodontitis and endodontic treatment in society. In this study, the periapical status of a representative sample of 35-year-olds in Oslo, Norway was studied by analyses of orthopantomograms and intraoral radiographs. The study also included quality assessment of root fillings and a correlation between quality and periapical status. Of the 3917 teeth evaluated, 133 (3.4%) were endodontically treated and 54 (1.4%) presented a periapical pathosis. More than half of these were associated with root-filled teeth. Endodontic treatment was considered successful with normal periapical structures in 64% of the cases. However, only 41% of the root fillings were of optimal quality, terminating 1–2 mm from the radiographic apex. Based on a survey of orthopantomograms, it was estimated that 30% of the subjects investigated presented an endodontic treatment need. The prevalence of endodontic treatment among 35-year-olds was unchanged from 1973 to 1984.