Endodontic status of mandibular premolars and molars in Swedish adults. A repeated cross‐sectional study in 1974 and in 1985

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Abstract
The purpose of the study was to find out whether the prevalence of endodontically treated teeth and teeth with apical periodontitis, as observed in the mandibular premolar and molar region., was lower in 1985 compared with 1974 in the adult Swedish population. Another purpose was to determine whether the technical quality of the root fillings had improved between 1974 and 1985. The material examined consisted of periapical radiographs of the mandibular premolar and molar region in 861 of 1;502 people sampled in 1974 and in 586 of 726 people sampled in 1985 both representing an adult Swedish population. The observations in this study of the prevalence of endodontically treated teeth and teeth with apical periodontitis in 1985 and in 1974 indicated a markedly improved endodontic health in the adult Swedish population in the age‐groups under 40 years in 1985 compared with 1974. These findings were in line with observations on the number of intact and restored teeth in the same cross‐sectional samples. Another finding was an improved technical quality of the root fillings in 1985 compared with in 1974. Favourable periapical conditions were observed in teeth with adequately obturated root canals in 1985 as well as in 1974.