Alfaisal Y, Peters O A, Idris G, Zafar S, Peters C I
School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Metro North Hospital and Health Services, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Aust Dent J. 2025 Sep;70(3):160-170. doi: 10.1111/adj.13069. Epub 2025 Mar 25.
Socio-economic status influences treatment decisions. This influence remains uncovered in teeth with painful pulpitis.
To investigate the influence of patients' demographics and socio-economic status on treatment choices for permanent mature teeth with painful vital teeth.
Records of adult patients who received extraction, root canal treatment and vital pulp therapy in public sector dental care were categorized. Correlation of patient age, gender and socio-economic status with rendered treatments was investigated. Patients' socio-economic status was determined using their postcode's Socio-Economic Indices for Areas (SEIFA) scores; a high score indicates higher status. Three groups of n = 25 patients per treatment were randomly selected after applying the inclusion criteria. Data were analysed using chi-square test, One-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test.
There was no significant correlation between patient age or gender and treatment performed (P = 0.250, P = 0.683). SEIFA scores were higher for vital pulp therapy, then root canal treatments and lowest for extraction; however, no significant association existed between patients' socio-economic status and treatment type (P = 0.210). A formal diagnosis was not documented in 8% of vital pulp therapies, 28% of root canal treatments, and 64% of extraction cases. Vital pulp therapy was never offered in root canal treatment or extraction groups. Pulp exposure guided vital pulp treatments, while patient preference drove half of root canal treatment and extraction choices.
Patients age and gender did not affect treatment decisions. Socio-economic status might influence treatment decisions in painful permanent teeth. The service setting appears to have a major impact.
社会经济地位会影响治疗决策。这种影响在患有疼痛性牙髓炎的牙齿中尚未被揭示。
调查患者的人口统计学特征和社会经济地位对患有疼痛性活髓恒牙治疗选择的影响。
对在公共部门牙科护理中接受拔牙、根管治疗和活髓治疗的成年患者记录进行分类。研究患者年龄、性别和社会经济地位与所提供治疗之间的相关性。使用患者邮政编码区域的社会经济指数（SEIFA）分数确定患者的社会经济地位；高分表示较高地位。在应用纳入标准后，每组治疗随机选择25例患者。使用卡方检验、单因素方差分析和克鲁斯卡尔 - 沃利斯检验分析数据。
患者年龄或性别与所进行的治疗之间无显著相关性（P = 0.250，P = 0.683）。活髓治疗的SEIFA分数较高，其次是根管治疗，拔牙的分数最低；然而，患者的社会经济地位与治疗类型之间不存在显著关联（P = 0.210）。8%的活髓治疗、28%的根管治疗和64%的拔牙病例未记录正式诊断。根管治疗组或拔牙组从未提供活髓治疗。牙髓暴露指导活髓治疗，而患者偏好驱动了一半的根管治疗和拔牙选择决策。
患者年龄和性别不影响治疗决策。社会经济地位可能会影响疼痛性恒牙的治疗决策。服务环境似乎有重大影响。
