Prevalence of dental number anomalies among A group of Turkish children

Abstract

Summary Background/Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and distribution of congenital dental number anomalies in the permanent dentition among a group of Turkish children in the Inner Aegean Region of Turkey. Material and Methods: A total of 5377 patients aged 7–9 who visited our clinic for the first time between September 2018 and September 2019 were investigated. The children were examined for tooth agenesis and supernumerary teeth using panoramic radiographs taken for various reasons and clinical records reviewed. Dental number anomalies were evaluated according to gender and localization. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS package software program Version 23. Results: For the study, the data of 1987 patients (947 female, 1040 male) were examined. The tooth agenesis was found in 109 patients (5.5%), the supernumerary teeth were found in 24 patients (1.2%). The prevalence of tooth agenesis was 5% in males, 6% in females. There was no statistical difference between genders (p>0.05). The distribution of tooth agenesis according to jaws and sides by gender was not statistically different (p>0.05). The most commonly missing teeth were mandibular left second premolar (37.6% of patients) and mandibular right second premolar (33% of patients). According to types of teeth and gender, molar tooth agenesis was seen more common in females than males (p<0.05), there was no significant difference in other types of teeth by gender. The prevalence of supernumerary teeth were 1.9% in males, 0.4% in females and the difference between genders was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). All the supernumerary teeth were located in the anterior maxilla, and half of them were mesiodens. Conclusions: Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment choice are very important managing complications associated with congenital dental number anomalies and for differential diagnosis of characteristic syndromes.