Reasons for tooth extraction in a Brazilian population.

AIM: To identify the reasons for tooth extraction in Recife, Brazil and to test whether they differ by socio-economic groups and levels of caries experience.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING: Ten health centres of the public health system and ten health centres of insurance companies.

PARTICIPANTS: Patients attending health centres.

METHODS: Ten dentists from each selected centre and two patients from each selected dentist were randomly selected from; the list of all health centres in Recife, all dentists carrying out dental extractions at each selected centre and all patients who had an appointment with the selected dentists respectively. Participants were examined by both the researcher (AC) and dentists.

OUTCOME MEASURE: Reasons for tooth extraction.

RESULTS: Of the 404 teeth extracted, 70.3 per cent were because of caries and its sequelae; 15.1 per cent because of periodontal disease; 6.4 per cent for pre-prosthetic reasons; 3.7 per cent wisdom teeth, 2.5 per cent for orthodontic reasons and 1 per cent for trauma and patient's request. A trend was observed for patients with less than secondary school education and lower salaries to have more tooth extraction due to caries, but the differences were not of statistical significance.