Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyze the distribution of dental filling materials for carious permanent teeth of school children in Gimhae city.
Material and methods: The study was designed as time-serial study, using the data of the dental survey for children aged 8-, 10- and 12-year children living in water fluoridated area of Gimhae city conducted in 2009 and 2013, respectively. The samples were selected by stratified clusters sampling. The number of surveyed samples were 2,110 in 2009 and 1,630 in 2013, respectively. However, the number of surveyed samples in depth-analysis for types of dental filling materials were 567 in 2009 and 331 in 2013, respectively. They had dental restorations on one or more teeth. The changing pattern of dental filling materials was analyzed from the comparison of dental filling materials used between 2009 and 2013. Statistical analysis was conducted using PASW 18.0, according to variables related to dental filling material type; DMFT and DMFS index, number of fissure sealed teeth and surface and surveyed year.
Results: Amalgam filling rate decreased from 27.9% in 2009 to 18.8% in 2013, while filling rate of tooth-colored materials increased from 56.1% in 2009 and 68.9% in 2013. Amalgam filling rate was a negative correlation with filling rate of tooth-colored materials or gold and number of fissure sealed teeth and a positive correlation with DMFT index. Filling rate of tooth-colored materials was a negative correlation with filling rate of amalgam or gold and DMFT index and a positive correlation with number of fissure sealed teeth.
Conclusions: The light-curing composite resin should be included in the reimbursement range of National Health Insurance to solve an inequity of dental health care services.