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In Sweden people in all age groups now have more remaining teeth than previously. An investigation has been made to identify some predictors of alveolar bone loss in a 10-year period in subjects with at least 20 remaining teeth. The material consisted of 349 individuals, examined radiographically, clinically, and by interview in 1970 and in 1980. These subjects, born in 1904-1952, constituted a subgroup, with regard to remaining teeth, of an unselected sample of the population of the old county of Stockholm. In the unselected sample statistically significant predictors of alveolar bone loss found in a stepwise multiple regression analysis were 1) alveolar bone loss in 1970,2) age, 3) number of lost teeth, and 4) Russell's Periodontal Index (PI). In the subgroup the predictors were in the order 1) Russell's PI and 2) smoking. The prediction values (R2) of further variables were marginal. The analyses showed that there was an interaction between PI and smoking, implying that the effect of smoking on alveolar bone loss was increased in individuals with high PI values. Furthermore, a tendency was found for a dose-response effect of tobacco consumption. This tendency almost disappeared when controlling for PI. Epidemiology; periodontal disease; periodontal index; prognosis; radiography, dental; smoking

Bolin A, Lavstedt S, Henrikson CO. Proximal alveolar bone loss in a longitudinal radiographic investigation. III. Some predictors with a possible influence on the progress in an unselected material. Acta Odontol Scand 1986;44:257-262. ISSN 0001-6357.The difference in proximal alveolar bone height between 1970 and 1980, the "ABD index", has been measured longitudinally in radiographs from an unselected material. The group constitutes 406 individuals born in 1904-1952 in the county of Stockholm. Thirteen of 18 predictors determined in 1970 were significantly related to the ABD index in the simple correlation analyses. The predictor 'the alveolar bone loss 1970' ('ABL index 1970') had the strongest correlation to the ABD index. In the stepwise multiple regression analysis the predictor ABL index 1970 and three other predictors reached significant levels. These were age, number of lost teeth, and Russell's Periodontal Index. Epidemiology; periodontal diseases; periodontal index; prognosis

Services to pensioners and how they might be improved. II. A report from Malmö.Bolin, A., Lindström, B., Sagnér, A. and Svanström, L. (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Lund, and the Social Board of Malmö, Sweden).As a follow-up to a previous article, the authors present an analysis of the services to pensioners in the 4th Welfare District of Malmö, as shown by their survey in 1972–1973, along with suggestions for improvement in various respects. They point to the importance of acquiring a general view of the individual and his situation. Various functions within the society's welfare program must be essentially improved, field work and adequate information being among the most important. Integration and coordination between the functional units must be operational concepts.

On pensioners' circumstances in a large Swedish city. A report from Malmö,Bolin, A., Lindström, B., Sagnér, A. and Svanström, L. (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Lund, and the Social Board of Malmö, Sweden).In 1972–1973 the authors carried out a field-work programme in a surburban area covered by the 4th Welfare District of Malmö with the objective of charting the general circumstances among the pensioners living there. Such surveys should be pursued in such a way that immediate needs would be disclosed and met. The findings were intended to form a basis for future improvement projects. As expected, the results show the necessity of tracking down hidden needs, often underestimated by the pensioners themselves, especially those in poor health and of limited means. Within the framework of a permanent field-work programme, those people must be made more aware of their own interests and rights.

Services to pensioners and how they might be improved. II. A report from Malmö.Bolin, A., Lindström, B., Sagnér, A. and Svanström, L. (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Lund, and the Social Board of Malmö, Sweden).As a follow-up to a previous article, the authors present an analysis of the services to pensioners in the 4th Welfare District of Malmö, as shown by their survey in 1972–1973, along with suggestions for improvement in various respects. They point to the importance of acquiring a general view of the individual and his situation. Various functions within the society's welfare program must be essentially improved, field work and adequate information being among the most important. Integration and coordination between the functional units must be operational concepts.

On pensioners' circumstances in a large Swedish city. A report from Malmö,Bolin, A., Lindström, B., Sagnér, A. and Svanström, L. (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Lund, and the Social Board of Malmö, Sweden).In 1972–1973 the authors carried out a field-work programme in a surburban area covered by the 4th Welfare District of Malmö with the objective of charting the general circumstances among the pensioners living there. Such surveys should be pursued in such a way that immediate needs would be disclosed and met. The findings were intended to form a basis for future improvement projects. As expected, the results show the necessity of tracking down hidden needs, often underestimated by the pensioners themselves, especially those in poor health and of limited means. Within the framework of a permanent field-work programme, those people must be made more aware of their own interests and rights.

A longitudinal radiographic investigation was made of the progression of the proximal alveolar bone loss over a 10-year period (1970-1980). The material was unselected and consisted of 669 individuals in the county of Stockholm. Sixty-one individuals were randomly selected for evaluation of a recording system using alternative methods of measurement, and 90% of the measurement sites could then be assessed. The correlations between some of the methods were high, such as between measurement of alveolar bone height and root length and between aleveolar bone height and tooth length. To reduce the number of measurements, a partial recording was made, giving a high correlation coefficient between the partial recording and total recording. When five measurement sites (12m, 11m, 33 d, 31 d, 41 m) were used, the correlation coefficient was 0.96, and a slight increase of the coefficient was obtained when using additional sites.

The purpose of this study was to develop methods to evaluate treatment needs (TNEED) and previous treatment (TDONE) in different populations. In the collaborative study, 'Children's Dental Health in Europe', the methods were used in connection with a clinical examination to document and compare treatment needs in 200 5-year-olds and 200 12-year-olds from each of the 8 participating countries. The study comprised a total of 3200 children from Belgium, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Spain, and Sweden. The method for calculating TNEED was validated by estimation of required time to meet the treatment needs (TNTIME). The calculated TNEED shows a clear relationship with the evaluated TNTIME, and the method is applicable to different population subgroups. The results revealed large differences in both TNEED and TDONE among the different countries and between the two age groups.

Four hundred and six individuals from an unselected sample from the County of Stockholm aged 18-65 years in 1970 were examined radiographically in 1970 and 1980. The differences in proximal alveolar bone height were recorded, attention being paid to the divergences in projection between the two investigations. The mean of the alveolar bone difference was 5.5% of the mean root length, which corresponds to an average annual bone loss of 0.09 mm. Ninety per cent of the individuals had a difference in alveolar bone height of less than 10% of the root length-that is, an average bone loss of 1.6 mm or less during 10 years. By linear regression analysis it was shown that the difference in alveolar bone height is a function of the initial bone loss; that is, the greater the initial bone loss, the greater the alveolar bone loss during the 10-year period. The result of the regression analysis may facilitate predictions of alveolar bone loss. D Dental radiography; periodontology, clinical study