Prevalence of developmental dental anomalies in Serbian orthodontic patients

Abstract

Introduction/Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of developmental dental anomalies (DDA) in Serbian orthodontic patients. Methods. The sample was composed of 1,001 panoramic radiographs of orthodontic patients, older than seven years, taken as a part of the initial diagnostic procedure at the Clinic of Orthodontics, School of Dental medicine in Belgrade. The DDA that could be diagnosed accurately on panoramic X-rays were documented. Descriptive analysis was used to determine prevalence and sex distribution of DDA. The Pearson χ2 test and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare number of affected teeth in males and females (level of significance was 95%). Results. The prevalence of DDA in Serbian orthodontic patients was 34.8% (15.5% males and 19.3% females). Impactions were present in 16.5%, hypodontia in 12.9%, hyperdontia in 4.4%, microdontia in 2.9%, macrodontia in 1.8% and transposition in 0.8% of patients. Maxillary canines were the most frequently impacted teeth. Maxillary second molars were more prone to impaction in females (p < 0.05). Impacted incisors were more prevalent in maxilla, premolars, and second molars in mandible. The most commonly missing teeth were upper left second premolars. Mesiodens was the most frequently found supernumerary tooth. Conclusion. We reported а high a rate of DDA in Serbian orthodontic patients, more in females than males. The most frequently observed DDA were impaction, tooth agenesis, hyperdontia, microdontia, macrodontia, and transposition. All investigated DDA were more frequently present in females, except hyperdontia. Current findings could offer а foundation for epidemiological studies on DDA prevalence.

Keywords

• developmental dental anomalies
• orthodontics
• hypodontia