DMFT index counts which units?

DMFT index counts which units?

• A. Surfaces
• B. Teeth
• C. Jaws
• D. Crowns

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that DMFT measures caries experience by counting whole teeth, not parts of teeth. Each tooth is categorized as decayed (D), missing due to caries (M), or filled (F), and the total is the sum of these categories. In other words, a tooth is counted as one unit even if it has multiple decay surfaces or a restoration, so the unit being counted is the tooth itself. Surfaces would be counted in a different index (DMFS), and jaws or crowns aren’t the units used in this measure. So the correct unit that DMFT counts is teeth.

The main idea here is that DMFT measures caries experience by counting whole teeth, not parts of teeth. Each tooth is categorized as decayed (D), missing due to caries (M), or filled (F), and the total is the sum of these categories. In other words, a tooth is counted as one unit even if it has multiple decay surfaces or a restoration, so the unit being counted is the tooth itself. Surfaces would be counted in a different index (DMFS), and jaws or crowns aren’t the units used in this measure. So the correct unit that DMFT counts is teeth.