Umanah Au, Osagbemiro Bb, Arigbede Ao
J West Afr Coll Surg. 2012 Jul;2(3):12-23.
Root canal therapy (RCT) is an efficacious therapeutic strategy to retain teeth with irreversible pulpal damage. RCT ensures that a tooth with irreversible pulpal damage retains its functional role in the oral cavity. Currently, there are limited epidemiologic studies relating to the pattern of demand of RCT in Nigeria particularly in the Niger Delta region of the country.
To determine the pattern of demand and reasons for endodontic treatment among adult patients attending a tertiary Dental Centre in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria.
A retrospective review of the hospital records of adult patients who attended the Conservative Dental Clinic of the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State, Nigeria from April 2008 to April 2012 for root canal therapy (RCT) was done. The demographic and clinical data were retrieved from the patients' records and analyzed using the SPSS version 20.
There were 213 patients comprising 93 (43.7%) males and 120 (56.3%) females, giving a male to female ratio of 1:1.3. The age range of the patients was 17- 65 years while the median age was 28.0 years. The highest incidence of root canal disease (42.7 %) was found in the 20-29 years age group. The commonest indication for RCT was Irreversible pulpitis (46.9%). A total number of 241 teeth were treated. The molars 102(42.3%) were the most endodontically treated teeth, followed by the anterior teeth 90(37.3%). Maxillary teeth underwent higher percentage of RCT (65.1%) as against mandibular teeth where the treatment was done in 34.9% of the cases.
More female patients and younger age group demanded for root canal therapy. Irreversible pulpitis was responsible for the majority of the cases treated and highest number of procedure was performed on maxillary teeth. The molars were the most endodontically treated teeth.
根管治疗（RCT）是保留患有不可逆牙髓损伤牙齿的一种有效治疗策略。根管治疗确保患有不可逆牙髓损伤的牙齿在口腔中保留其功能作用。目前，关于尼日利亚根管治疗需求模式的流行病学研究有限，特别是在该国的尼日尔三角洲地区。
确定在尼日利亚尼日尔三角洲地区一家三级牙科中心就诊的成年患者中根管治疗的需求模式及原因。
对2008年4月至2012年4月在尼日利亚河流州哈科特港大学教学医院保守牙科诊所接受根管治疗（RCT）的成年患者的医院记录进行回顾性研究。从患者记录中检索人口统计学和临床数据，并使用SPSS 20版进行分析。
共有213名患者，其中男性93名（43.7%），女性120名（56.3%），男女比例为1:1.3。患者年龄范围为17 - 65岁，中位年龄为28.0岁。根管疾病发病率最高（42.7%）的是20 - 29岁年龄组。根管治疗最常见的指征是不可逆性牙髓炎（46.9%）。共治疗了241颗牙齿。磨牙接受根管治疗的数量最多，为102颗（42.3%），其次是前牙90颗（37.3%）。上颌牙接受根管治疗的比例更高（65.1%），而下颌牙接受治疗的比例为34.9%。
更多女性患者和较年轻年龄组需要根管治疗。不可逆性牙髓炎是大多数治疗病例的病因，上颌牙进行的治疗程序最多。磨牙是接受根管治疗最多的牙齿。
