Radiographic assessment of congenitally missing teeth in orthodontic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of congenitally missing teeth (CMT) in patients evaluated for orthodontic care. A sample of 668 panoramic radiographs from Mexican population was reviewed from orthodontic healthy patients, 9-20 years old.


METHODS
Statistical tests were used to compare maxillary and mandibular hypodontia in right and left quadrants between males and females.


RESULTS
Prevalence was 27% when all teeth were included, and was 2.7% when third molars were excluded. A significant difference was found between maxillary and mandibular symmetrical CMT in third maxillary molars, lateral incisors and second premolars (P < 0.001), and in mandibular third molars and central incisors (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
We confirmed that occurrence of CMT in the permanent dentition of a Mexican population most often affects third molars, followed by maxillary lateral incisors and then mandibular second premolars.
Silva Meza
R
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Department of Orthodontics, Intercontinental University, México. bobsilva@prodigy.net.mx
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000848:Anodontia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000002:abnormalities; D002648:Child; D019229:Dentition, Permanent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000002:abnormalities; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008437:Maxilla; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000002:abnormalities; D015995:Prevalence; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D017678:Sex Distribution