ABSTRACT
Aim and Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of caries in premolars with respect to, age, gender, site, and arch in the urban and rural Southwestern coastal population of India. Materials and Methods: The data were collected from a total of 1000 patients after obtaining their written consent, of which 500 were examined from outpatient Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics and 500 were examined in Rural Satellite Centres of A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Science, Mangalore. Results: Of the 1000 patients that were examined in rural and urban areas, 320 had carious premolars with an overall percentage of 32%.
KEYWORDS:Caries, Premolar, Incidence, South western coastal