Dens evaginatus in the Hong Kong Chinese population.

Abstract

Abstract A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence and treatment need of permanent teeth with an evaginated odontome in a random sample of 12‐year‐old Chinese schoolchildren living in Hong Kong. A total of 442 12‐year‐old Hong Kong Chinese schoolchildren were examined (215 males and 227 females); 15 children (3%) had teeth with evaginated odontomes present. Males were more commonly affected than females (9:6) and no left‐to‐right difference was detected. In 8 children there was bilateral involvement of collateral teeth. Over twice as many mandibular premolars were affected compared to those in the maxilla (27:11). Guidelines for future epidemiological surveys of this anomaly are discussed. The management of dens evaginatus is based upon empirical evidence and there has, to date, been no controlled clinical trial conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of any particular type of treatment for this anomaly. In the absence of objective evaluation, results are reported of a survey of the approaches of managing dens evaginatus used by general dental practitioners working in Hong Kong.