Periodontal disease and approximal overhangs on amalgam restorations in Norwegian 21-year-olds

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Abstract
The prevalence of periodontal disease and overhanging approximal amalgam restorations in molars and premolars was registered in a clinical and radiographic examination of Norwegian adults (born 1959). A random sample of 250 persons was drawn from the populations of 2 neighboring towns where the Public Dental Services had operated different preventive programs. Results pertain to .apprx. 175 subjects whose mean age was 21.5 yr (SD 0.3). Twelve subjects had no gingival bleeding and the mean Gingival Bleeding Index of the group was 30.8 (SD 17.6). No pocket depth exceeded 5 mm. In 8 subjects the radiographic distance from the cementoenamel junction to the interproximal alveolar crest was > 2 mm at 1 or more teeth. The mean number of filled approximal surfaces in molars and premolars was 12.8 (SD 6.8). Approximal overhangs were present in 87% of subjects, and at 1/4 of restorations. Of overhangs, 96% were < 0.5 mm. There was no significant difference between the different subgroups of the sample for any of the variables studied.