Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the demographic profile of supernumerary molar (SM) teeth in people in various regions of Turkey. Study Design: A retrospective analysis was carried out on an initial sample of 104,902 subjects drawn from the ortopantographics files from 10 clinics in 7 Turkish cities with documentation of demographic data, the presence of SM teeth, their location, eruption, morphology, and position within the arch. In one region associated patho­logies and treatments were also evaluated. Results: Three hundred fifty-one SMs were detected in 288 patients, constituting 0.33% of the study subjects, with a greater frequency in females (56.4%). SMs were found more frequently in the maxilla (87.7%) than in the mandible, and distomolars (62.9%) were more common than paramolars. The SMs encountered were mostly of conical shape (45.7%), impacted (81.1%), and in a vertical position (52.1). The 33% of SM teeth were related to impacted molar teeth. Conclusion: The most common complication involving these teeth was soft tissue irritation. Demographic data from such specific extensive studies are crucial for improved diagnosis of SM teeth. Early detection allows for measures against complications and more successful therapy. Key words:Supernumerary molars, distomolar, paramolar, prevalence.

Compound odontomas rarely erupt into the mouth. The presented case is the 13 th case of erupted compound odontoma reported in the literature. The treatment of choice is surgical removal of the odontoma. In the case of odontomas associated to impacted teeth, the teeth should be preserved in wait of spontaneous eruption, or alternatively fenestration followed by orthodontic traction is indicated. Regular follow-up period is crucial to evaluate the prognosis of these teeth.

Objectives This retrospective study used panoramic radiographs of a large number of Turkish patients to determine the prevalence of tooth agenesis. Methods Data from a total of 100,577 patients were collected from six different regions of Turkey. Five experienced dentists independently examined the files, which included panoramic radiographs and demographic data (age and gender). Tooth agenesis was evaluated for hypodontia and oligodontia. Third molars were excluded from the study. Proportions were compared by using a z test, and to detect relationships between categorical variables a chi-square test was performed to determine statistical significance at a level of P \ 0.05. Results Among the 100,577 patients, in total 3,147 teeth were found to be developmentally absent. The prevalence of tooth agenesis and oligodontia in this Turkish population was 3.12 and 0.07%, respectively. Females were more frequently affected than males, and tooth agenesis was found in the maxilla more often than in the mandible. Bilateral agenesis was more common than unilateral. The study found nearly equivalent numbers on the right and left sides, so the ratios of incidence in the two sides were almost identical. Conclusions Within the limitations of the study, the present data involve an extensive sample population collected from Turkey's different regions; thus, the findings of this study reflect actual information regarding tooth agenesis throughout the Turkish population.

No previous studies in the literature have examined in detail so many cases with ST. The demographic profile of the patients with ST presented herein provides useful additional epidemiological information.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the reasons for the persistence of primary teeth and also use panoramic radiography to determine the characteristics of persistence teeth. Four-hundred and twenty-six panoramic radiographies, which diagnosed one or more retained primary teeth, were selected from 100,577 panoramic radiographic image files from nine clinics and six different cities in Turkey. The selected radiographies were evaluated to determine the reasons for the persistence of primary teeth; furthermore, this study analyzed the characteristics of the retained primary teeth including tooth type, number, location, and root resorption, and whether, or not, the primary teeth showed evidence of pathological conditions, such as periodontal problems, caries, ankylosis, infra-occlusions, or tipping of the adjacent permanent teeth. Six hundred and seventy-seven retained primary teeth were determined in 426 patients (148 males and 278 females). Retained primary teeth were found most frequently in the mandible rather than the maxilla and the left side was more frequently affected than the right side. Level 1 was found as a most frequently encountered root resorption level. Within the limitation of the present study, the most common type of persistent primary teeth seen on the dental arch were mandibular primary second molars, followed by maxillary primary canines. The most frequent reason for the persistence was the congenital absence of successors to the primary teeth, followed by impaction of the successor teeth.