View report page

68
"The Dental Inspection and Treatment of Elementary School
Children in 1938.
"Dental inspections were carried out in all the schools in the
Borough during the year, and the defective cases were treated
at the five Health Centres established in the various areas. The
total number inspected at the schools, and special inspections at
the centres, was 17,527. This figure is greater by 1,039 than in
the previous year.
"The number found to require treatment was 9,757 and is
smaller by 393, than in 1937. Those not in need of treatment
amounted to 7,770.
"The number actually treated was 6,903, an increase of 470
over the previous year.
"At the special examination of children about to leave school,
which is held at the senior schools, it was found that out of 1,473,
who were submitted for examination, 1,198 or 81 per cent. had
sound dentitions, that is, rendered sound by fillings or naturally
sound. This is a very satisfactory figure which shows how
successful dental inspection and treatment is in the Borough.
"Orthodontic treatment was carried out in 28 new cases
during the year. This number, including eleven cases from last
year, makes a total of 39 children now fitted with regulation
appliances.
"The work carried out for all the children treated included
extractions, fillings, gum treatments, scaling and dressings to
septic root canals.
"The number of fillings inserted in permanent teeth totalled
5,769. This figure is greater by 961 than in the previous year.
This increase is due mainly to the increased number of children
treated at the centres. Temporary fillings were inserted in 333
teeth of the temporary dentition. Therefore, the total number of
fillings in all teeth was 6,102, being 900 greater than in 1937.
"The total number of extractions was less in the year. The
extractions of permanent teeth totalled 1,927, an increase of 258
over the previous year. The total number of extractions of
temporary teeth was 10,364, this figure being smaller by 513
than in the preceding year.