Future Needs for Dental Restorative Materials

Abstract

While the population of the United States increases from 250 to 310 million people, the number in older age groups will increase dramatically from 28 million to about 64 million. Tooth retention has improved remarkably in the 65-74 age groups, from 7.4 in 1962 to 17.9 in 1986. While younger age groups will require less treatment due to decline in dental caries, older age groups appear to require more treatment than did similar age cohorts in previous generations. Hence, the need for restorative procedures by the United States population will be on an upward trend for the next decade or two.