Prosthetic status and needs of HIV positive subjects.

PURPOSE The aim of this study is an evaluation of existing dentition reconstructions in HIV-infected patients and definition of prosthetic needs of the examined population. MATERIAL AND METHODS We examined 49 HIV-infected subjects (19-52 years of age) and 49 non-infected patients as the control group. Dental services were evaluated using treatment structure. The analysis of teeth loss was performed by using index created by Rogowiec. The area of prosthetic treatment was also defined. Aquired data were analyzed in examined populations regarding infection's duration time. RESULTS Analysis of Rogowiec index values showed heavy losses in all anatomic groups of teeth and treatment structure index in the group of HIV infected subjects reached value 71.27%. The percentage of infected patients using prosthetic dentures was two times higher than in control group. In mandible, this difference was more significant. As the HIV infection's duration time increased, the percentage of subjets with prosthetic dentures in both dental arches also increased. Reconstruction of maxilla's dentition was necessary in 38.78% of HIV(+) subjects. In infected group, the necessity of reconstruction of teeth loss in lower dental arch reached 46.94%. As the infection's duration time increased, prosthetic needs of upper dental arch slightly decreased and needs of lower dental arch increased. CONCLUSIONS 1. Using only emergency dental aid by HIV infected people results in significant loss of dentitnion. 2. Extraction domination over conservative reconstrucions in dental treatment, despite of young age of examined subjests, leads to damage of mastication organ. 3. The teeth loss in subjects infected for a longer period of time, results in increased need of prosthetic treatment.