Prevalence of hypodontia and malformations of permanent teeth in Iceland

Abstract

This study was performed to elucidate the prevalence of hypodontia and congenital malformations of permanent teeth in Iceland. Computer analysis was done on the basis of results from examining 1,116 children (521 boys and 595 girls), or about 9.5% of all schoolchildren in Reykjavík 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 years. The prevalence of congenitally missing teeth (second and third 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 second premolar (55%), the maxillary second 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%.