Evaluating the Prevalence and Distribution of Dental Anomalies in the Permanent Dentition of Patients Seeking Dental Care.

Background:  Disturbances seen during tooth formation result in developmental dental anomalies presenting in the oral cavity. These anomalies manifest as discrepancies in the number, color, size, and shape of the teeth. These dental anomalies can either be acquired, congenital, or developmental. Their early detection and management are necessary as they affect aesthetics and occlusion. The study had the aim of gauging the prevalence of developmental anomalies in the permanent dentition of Indian subjects.

Methods: A total of 1192 participants recruited from the institute for study purposes, comprising males and females, were examined clinically and radiographically, and their dental casts were also evaluated. These subjects were assessed for anomalies in position, structure, number, and/or shape. Anomalies in the position include transmigration, transportation, and/or ectopic position; anomalies in the structure, including dentinogenesis imperfecta or amelogenesis imperfecta; anomalies in number, including hyperdontia or hypodontia; and anomalies in shape, including peg laterals, taurodontism, fusion, dens evaginatus, talon cusp, and/or microdontia.

Results: A statistically significant difference was seen in unilateral microdontia and dentinogenesis imperfecta between males and females, with attained p-values of 0.003 and 0.06, respectively. The results of the present study showed that 9.89% (n = 118) study subjects, whereas 1% (n = 12) study subjects had two dental anomalies in their permanent dentitions, with no subject presenting more than two dental anomalies, showing that various dental anomalies have a low prevalence in the Indian population.

Conclusion: The present study has led to the conclusion that the prevalence of dental anomalies is low in Indian subjects. However, these anomalies should be detected and treated early to prevent them from causing further complications.