Dental findings of the elderly with or without senile dementia at a special nursing home.

Survey of dental health condition was performed at a special nursing home for the elderly with senile dementia (28 subjects, 83.3 +/- 6.8 year-old; SD group) or without senile dementia (68 subjects, 84.6 +/- 7.2 year-old; NSD group). There was no difference in number of teeth survived between SD and NSD groups. However, the elderly in SD group had more unfunctionable and/or unrestorable teeth (C4) and less sound and filled teeth (SFT) than those in NSD group. Number of teeth of the elderly in 85- to 89-year-old group was smaller than those of not only younger but older age groups, irrespective of senile dementia. Lower canines showed the highest survival rate among all kinds of teeth in SD as well as in NSD group.