Prevalence of hypodontia and malformations of permanent teeth in Iceland

Abstract

The prevalence of hypodontia and congenital malformations of permanent teeth in Iceland were studied. Computer analysis was done on the basis of results from examining 1116 children (521 boys and 595 girls), or about 9.5% of all schoolchildren in Reykjavik in stages DS 3 (canines and premolars erupting) and DS 4 (canines and premolars fully erupted) of dental development at the time of the study. The age range was mainly from 8-16 yr. The prevalence of congenitally missing teeth (2nd and 3rd molars excluded) was 6.7% in boys and somewhat higher, 8.9%, in girls, 7.9% for both sexes combined. On the average, each child was missing 1.9 teeth. In the girls, the most commonly absent teeth were the mandibular 2nd premolar (55%), the maxillary 2nd premolar (19%) and the maxillary lateral incisors (18%). In the boys the figures were 51%, 18% and 10%, respectively. Malformation of permanent teeth, mainly in the form of pegshaped maxillary laterals, was also less common in the boys, 1.3% against 3.0% in the girls and 2.2% for both sexes combined. Among Icelandic children hypodontia and/or congenital malformation of permanent teeth were found in 9.1%.