Prevalence of hypodontia and developmental malformation of permanent teeth in Saudi Arabian schoolchildren

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of hypodontia and congenital malformation in permanent teeth of Saudi Arabian male children. Five-hundred schoolchildren were investigated, selected randomly from Riyadh city. The age group of the examined sample ranged from 13 years and 6 months to 14 years and 6 months. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed. The findings indicated that hypodontia was present in about 4 per cent of the children; most frequently affected was the mandibular second premolars, maxillary laterals, and maxillary second premolars. Tooth malformations, mainly peg-shaped upper lateral incisors were also observed in about 4 per cent of the sample.