Examen simplificado de un primer molar permanente y de un segundo molar primario para medir la prevalencia de caries en escolares

Abstract

This paper contains a description of a simplified procedure for dental examinations to measure the prevalence of caries in school populations based on the information furnished by the first molar of the permanent teeth and the second molar of the deciduous teeth

The results of examinations made with this procedure in three typical regions of Argentina appear in the tables and graphs in the text

Information gained by means of this simplified examination may be useful for a speedy and extensive assessment of the prevalence of caries in the school population

The examination is conducted in the classroom and the children need not leave their desks. The margin of error in this purely visual test, in which incipient caries may be overlooked, has been estimated at 18 per cent of the caries found by using mirror and probe

In other respects, this examination is no different from the usual DMF examination

It requires a minimum of staff as each team is composed of only one dentist and one auxiliary

A properly trained team can easily examine three hundred pupils per hour without disturbing school work(AU)