title: Taurodontism in a young adult Chinese population.
abstract: The first and second molars on the panoramic radiographs of 196 consecutive 15-19-year-old Chinese adults (male:female ratio; 46:54) were assessed in order to establish the prevalence of taurodontism, which is considered to be a marker of underlying genetic disease. The criteria of Shifman and Chanannel (Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 1978; 6: 200-3) were employed and the measurements made digitally. Taurodontism was present in 46.4% of patients in this series with a greater prevalence in females (56% compared to 36% in males, P < 0.001). It was found in 21.7% of all teeth examined, and the prevalence was significantly greater in females (26% for compared with 17.4% in males, P < 0.001). Our results suggest that taurodontism is not sufficiently sensitive to be a marker of genetic disease in Chinese.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Radiology, University of Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: MacDonald-Jankowski
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000002:abnormalities; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012744:Sex Ratio; D014071:Tooth Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*