The prevalence of dental anomalies in an Australian population.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of dental anomalies within an Australian paediatric population using panoramic radiographs. METHODS: This was a prospective review of 1050 panoramic radiographs obtained as part of a school dental screening program in suburban and rural New South Wales, Australia. RESULTS: Fifty-four (5.14%) patients had a dental anomaly present. Agenesis was noted to have occurred 69 times across 45 patients (4.28%), along with seven cases of impaction (0.6%) and three cases of supernumerary teeth (0.28%). CONCLUSIONS: Dental anomalies rarely occur in the Australian population, which possesses a wide-ranging multiethnic cohort. Despite their rarity, they can be incidentally discovered so identification and management by dental practitioners are important.

Diagnostic tools used to predict the prevalence of supernumerary teeth: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to (i) determine the variations in prevalence figures based on the diagnostic tools employed, and (ii) provide an insight into the prevalence of supernumerary teeth. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search of the prevalence reports on supernumerary teeth was conducted using two databases. Two independent observers rated these articles according to exclusion and inclusion criteria. 28 papers were included in the analysis to determine the variations in the prevalence figures in relation to the method of diagnosis, and 14 studies were included to estimate the prevalence figures for supernumerary teeth. Statistical analysis was computed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Student Neumann-Keuls (SNK) test and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were evident in the prevalence figures based only on a clinical examination compared with groups that also employed radiographs (p < 0.05, ANOVA, SNK). The prevalence figures for supernumerary teeth ranged from 0% to 3%. The mean prevalence value for the European white population [1.6% (±0.6)] was lower than that of the southern Chinese population [2.7% (±0.14)]. The overall prevalence of supernumerary teeth for males was significantly higher than for females [relative risk = 1.37 (1.13-1.50)]. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical examination plus some types of radiograph(s) are essential for determining the prevalence of supernumerary teeth; nevertheless, it is still underestimated. Several disparities in the prevalence reports make the available data on supernumerary teeth questionable.

An audit of concomitant dental anomalies with maxillary talon cusps in a group of children from Hong Kong.

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of various concomitant dental anomalies in Hong Kong children with true talon cusps on the permanent maxillary incisors. METHODS: Dental records and radiographs of a group of Hong Kong Chinese primary schoolchildren with true talon cusps (half crown height or more) on one or more permanent maxillary incisors were selected and studied retrospectively. The prevalence of various dental anomalies in this group of children was compared with that of the general population of Hong Kong Chinese children of similar age. RESULTS: A total of 11,537 records were reviewed and 58 children with true talon cusps on one or more permanent maxillary incisors were identified. A total of 69 permanent maxillary incisors were affected, of which all except one were lateral incisors. Dens evaginatus on premolars, supernumerary teeth in the anterior maxilla, and hypodontia were found in 5 (8.6%), 5 (8.6%), and 5 (8.6%) cases respectively. The prevalence of supernumerary teeth was significantly higher in children with true talon cusps as compared with the results of two previous general studies of Chinese children of similar age (P<0.05, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSION: Children with true talon cusps on the permanent maxillary incisors were more frequently affected by supernumerary teeth in the anterior maxilla. Further studies with a larger sample are needed to confirm a true association.

A catalogue of anomalies and traits of the primary dentition of southern Chinese.

Variation in size, form and morphology of the teeth result in anomalies such as macrodontia, microdontia, hyperdontia, hypodontia, double tooth, taurodontism and dens in dente. While traits that may occur more commonly in certain ethnic groups may be considered to be specific to that population. The characteristics of these anomalies and traits are presented along with the prevalence figures for their occurrence in primary dentition of southern Chinese.

Characteristics of premaxillary supernumerary teeth: a survey of 112 cases.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of premaxillary supernumerary teeth among children in Taiwan. The study population consisted of 112 children, ranging in age from four years to fourteen years. The characteristics of supernumerary teeth were obtained from radiographs and clinical examination, and were confirmed by surgical intervention. The results showed that males were affected approximately three times as frequently as female. About 36 percent of the patients had more than one supernumerary tooth and more than 96 percent of supernumerary teeth occurred in the central incisor region. About 46 percent of the supernumerary teeth were in the vertical position, 34 percent of the supernumerary teeth were erupted; and the eruption rate of conical shaped and tuberculate shaped supernumerary teeth were similar.

Restorative needs and pathological findings in northern Manhattan dentate community.

When determining the dental health of the population, radiographic findings cannot be omitted. Nor should large groups of people be left out as this affects the results significantly.

Hypodontia and hyperdontia of permanent teeth in Hong Kong schoolchildren.

This study was performed to determine the prevalence of hypodontia and hyperdontia of permanent teeth amongst Southern Chinese children in Hong Kong. The sample consisted of 1093 12-yr-old children on whom a panoramic radiograph was taken. The prevalence of congenitally missing teeth (third molars excluded) was 6.1% in boys, 7.7% in girls, and 6.9% for both sexes combined. On the average, each child was missing 1.5 teeth. The most commonly absent tooth was the mandibular incisor, affecting 58.7% of the children with hypodontia. Thirty children (2.7%) had supernumerary teeth, with a male:female ratio of 6.5:1; in four cases the tooth had erupted. Three children had fourth molars and one case of a supplemental premolar was recorded (all unerupted). Four cases of a maxillary supernumerary tooth and hypodontia in the mandible were seen.