Original scientific paper
The differences in the frequency and intensity of caries in twins
Helena Percač
; School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Vladimir Lapter
; School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ilija Škrinjarić
; School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Želimir Muretić
; School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The frequency and intensity of dental caries was studied in 96 pairs of
twins (38 monozygotic and 58 dizygotic) from the northwest part of Croatia in order to establish the rode of genetic and ecologic factors in the etiology of caries. The frequency and intensity of caries in deciduous and permanent dentition were comlpared in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins. The differences iin the frequency of caries between MZ and DZ twins were tested using the x? test and tlhey were found statistically non-significant. Slightly higher differences were found for the permanent than for the deciduous dentition. By calculating Holzinger’s coefficient of heritability (He), low values were obtained for the caries surface index (DS = 0.212 and for the DlMF index He = 0.210). It may be concluded that there is no significant genetic control over the development and frequency of dental caries and that ecologic factors seem to play a dominant role.
Keywords
dental caries; twin studies; heritability; ecological factors
Hrčak ID:
105427
URI
Publication date:
15.3.1984.
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