Dental status and treatment needs among institutionalized mentally subnormal persons in Norway.

Dental status and treatment needs were studied in a random sample comprising 353 mentally subnormal persons. The sample was drawn to represent institutionalized mentally subnormal persons in Norway aged 5-45. The overall dental health was poor, primarily due to inadequate and fragmentary treatment facilities. Whereas the dental condition of children below 15 years of age was acceptable, as measured by the DMFT index, tooth loss increased rapidly with advancing age. Nearly every second dentulous person needed some conservation, and every tenth needed extraction of one or more teeth. One-third of the patients needed treatment requiring general anesthesia. It was concluded that a new system for the investigation of treatment requirements should be developed. This system must be based on diagnostic and social criteria, and should serve as a guideline for the plannning and delivery of dental services to the various subgroups of mentally subnormal persons.