Pasienterfaringer med ubehandlede visdomstenner - en spørreundersøkelse

Abstract

The aim of this survey was to investigate conditions associated with wisdom teeth before extraction, the experience of pain and perceived reasons for removal, all from a patient perspective. Data were collected through questionnaires at a private dental clinic. Pain associated with wisdom teeth was frequent. More men than women experienced pain related to wisdom teeth. A majority of the participants experienced pain between the age of 16-35 years, and most frequently in the lower jaw. The most common treatment of symptomatic wisdom teeth was extraction. A few participants received treatment before extraction, and antibiotics were then the most frequently used type of treatment. Lack of space was the most frequently perceived as reason for removal. The tendency to have the wisdom teeth removed increased with increased level of education, but showed no association with work situation or income. Some inconsistent answers were recorded, and the results must therefore be interpreted with caution.

Formålet med undersøkelsen var fra et pasientperspektiv å kartlegge forhold ved visdomstenner før de ble fjernet, opplevelser av smertene og årsakene til fjerning. Data ble innsamlet gjennom spørreskjema ved en privatklinikk. Smerte i forbindelse med visdomstenner var et utbredt problem. Flere menn enn kvinner oppgav erfaring med visdomstannrelaterte smerter. De fleste opplevde smerte i alderen 16-35 år, og hyppigst i underkjeven. Mest anvendte behandling var ekstraksjon. Få fikk annen behandling før eventuell ekstraksjon, men hos disse var antibiotika mest brukt. Den hyppigst oppgitte grunnen for fjerning var plassmangel. Tendensen til fjerning økte med økt utdanningsnivå, men viste ingen sammenheng med arbeid eller inntekt. En del inkonsistente svar ble registrert, og resultatene må derfor tolkes med forsiktighet.