Experience in dental caries is measured by indices, DMFS being the one most frequently used. However, this index has undergone several criticisms, particularly in regard to its M-component. When 4 surfaces of an anterior tooth, or 5 surfaces of a posterior tooth are decayed, a tooth is considered lost, regardless of how much it is involved. The present study investigated if the M-component of the DMFS-index requires correction. One hundred and seventy-seven teeth extracted from 107 adult patients from the Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais were clinically and radiographically examined. When the sample was considered as a whole, the weighted mean value of carious surfaces in the extracted teeth was 3.0. The correction factor for the M-component was 3.5 for those up to 35 years of age, and 2.5 for those over 35. No gender differences were observed. Hence, it is necessary to propose a correction factor for the M-component of the DMFS-index for any population with a similar prevalence of dental caries.
Epidemiology; Dental caries; DMF-index
