Pattern of Dental Treatment Rendered to Persons Aged 50 Years and Older in A Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

Background/Objective: Older persons and the elderly are a unique and vulnerable group of the population that suffers from oral diseases. This study sought to assess the pattern of dental treatment rendered to persons 50 years and older in a tertiary institution in Nigeria.

Methodology: This was a retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study of older and elderly persons who sought oral health care at a Nigerian dental clinic. The data of interest collated from the retrieved records were age, gender, diagnosis made and specialty involved in management of the oral health conditions. The patients were categorized based on their age.

Results: 233 patient records were utilized with the patients’ age ranging from 50 years to 88 years and a mean age of 59.76±7.94 years. Above half, 56.7% (C.I 50.2-63.1) of the patients were aged 50 to 59 years. There was a higher proportion of female patients. A higher proportion of those less than 60 years of age had multiple diagnosis. The most prevalent diagnosis recorded was dental caries and its sequelae (35.2%), followed by periodontal disease (30.9%). The most prevalent treatment received by the patients was restorative treatment (59.7%) followed by periodontal treatment (39.5%) and oral surgical treatment (27.5%). There was no statistically significant association between the age group of the patients and type of diagnosis made and if the diagnosis was single or multiple (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Restorative treatment emerged as the primary type of treatment sought, indicating a shift towards positive measures of teeth retention.

Keywords: dental treatment, older persons, elderly.