Sammanfattning
Aim - To evaluate if the full-scale Periapical Index
(PAI) may predict the periapical status over
time in non-root-filled and root-filled teeth.
Material and methods - Full-mouth radiographic
surveys of a random sample from a general
population were performed in 1997, 2003 and
2008. The present investigation included 330
persons who participated in all three examinations,
and 143 persons who participated in the
first and second examination. At each examination
presence or absence of a tooth and of a
root filling was recorded, and a PAI score (1-5)
was assigned to all teeth. For root-filled teeth
re-treatment of a root filling was recorded.
Results - At baseline non-root-filled teeth
had lower PAI scores than root-filled teeth (P
< 0.0001). A high baseline PAI increased the
risk of extraction for both root-filled (P < 0.001)
and non-root-filled teeth (P < 0.001). At 5-year
follow-up PAI scores were higher when baseline
PAI scores had been higher. The overall
pattern for root-filled and non-root-filled teeth
was similar, however the differences were statistically
significant (P < 0.001). In particular,
the follow-up PAI score for non-root-filled teeth
with baseline PAI score 1 or 2 was significantly
lower than that of root-filled teeth (P < 0.001).
For root-filled teeth with baseline PAI score 3,
4 or 5, the trend was reversed as they overall
had slightly lower PAI scores at follow-up (P =
0.023).
Conclusion - Repeated radiographic assessments
of teeth using the full-scale PAI reveal
that each of the five scores had distinct prognostic
value for the course of periapical disease
over a five-year period for