Dental attrition and associated factors in adolescents 14 to 19 years of age: a pilot study

PURPOSE: This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between attrition and diverse variables in 390 Mexican adolescents aged 14 to 19 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An ordinal scoring system was used to describe the severity of attrition. RESULTS: Attrition prevalence was 33.3% and was associated with older age, presence of defective restorations, Class II malocclusion, and perception of stress level. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that attrition is present in 1 of every 3 adolescents.