Patients in cities are more likely to have dental crowns implemented

In cities dental crowns are more often implemented
According to a new study by Barmer GEK, there are clear regional differences in dental treatment in Germany. For example, in the city states of Bremen, Hamburg and Berlin, crowns or partial crowns were used significantly more frequently last year. Differences were also found in other areas.

More crowns or partial crowns in city states
A new study by Barmer GEK has identified significant regional differences in dental treatment in Germany, the news agency dpa reports. In 2013, dentists used their patients in the city states of Bremen, Hamburg and Berlin significantly more often crowns or partial crowns as large fillings. In the plain countries, on the other hand, the fillings predominated. This emerges from the Barmer GEK Dental Report 2015. According to the information provided in the states of Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Thuringia even more than twice as many fillings as crowns were counted.

Additional payment for crowns - fillings without own contribution
The basis of the investigation was the data of persons between the ages of 35 and 44, who are insured with the health insurance. In total, they cover almost 100,000 large fillings and over 72,000 settled grants to crowns. The authors of the study speculate that income structures could be the background of differences in filling therapy. However, the comparatively wealthy Bayern would speak against it. There are also almost twice as many teeth filled as überkront. Insured persons have to pay for crowns, fillings are usually used without own contribution of the patients.

Maybe city dwellers put more emphasis on the look
For the study authors, however, it is also conceivable that insured persons in urban regions place more value on the appearance of their teeth than residents of rural regions. According to the study, a survey among insured persons indicates that there is a growing trend towards tooth-colored restorations. This is due to an increased aesthetic awareness of the population, the authors assume. According to the survey, amalgams are used only half as often as plastics. In the foreground of the decision with patients stands however the durability and compatibility, before aspects of the aesthetics and costs.

Dental fillings often with short shelf life
However, the durability is often not very good. This is also how the Barmer GEK Dental Report 2015 shows: tooth fillings usually do not last long. As reported a few weeks ago, the report showed that nearly every third patient had to be re-treated for the same tooth within four years. However, it remained unclear which material and which type of filling was used in each case and thus could be no evaluation of how sustainable a filling therapy.

Toothache can be caused by cysts.

Prevention of tooth decay
As far as the prevention of tooth decay is concerned, according to the dental report, the East and South Germans are best. While less than half of Bremen (44.9 percent), Lower Saxony (46.4), Saarlanders (47.3) and Hamburgers (47.4) each went to preventive care for their teeth in 2013, in Thuringia the figures were According to 63.0 percent. In Saxony (62.4 percent) the participation was similarly high. Brandenburg (58.8), Saxony-Anhalt (58.3), Bavaria (57.7), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (56.3), Baden-Württemberg (54.8.) Were also above the nationwide average of 52.7% ) and Berlin (52.9). Among them were Hesse (52.0), North Rhine-Westphalia (48.3) and Rhineland-Palatinate (48.1). No figures were available for Schleswig-Holstein. (Ad)