The Open Anthropology Journal

2010, 3 : 54-64
Published online 2010 January 20. DOI: 10.2174/1874912701003010054
Publisher ID: TOANTHJ-3-54

Morphological and Numerical Characteristics of the Southern Chinese dentitions. Part I: Anomalies in the Permanent Dentition

Nigel M. King , Jennie S.J. Tsai and H.M. Wong
Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, 2/F, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, 34 Hospital Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.

ABSTRACT

Aim:

To investigate the prevalence of eight morphological and numerical anomalies in the southern Chinese permanent dentition and to compare these with studies from different populations.

Materials and Methods:

The material used in the study consisted of study models and panoramic radiographs collected from 725 randomly selected 12-year-old children (358 males and 367 females). The anomalies were assessed using diagnostic criteria that have been most often cited in the published literature.

Results:

Of the eight dental anomalies studied, the prevalence of hyperdontia (2.6%) was higher than reported for Caucasians, and double tooth (0.8%) and dens evaginatus (4.7%) were the highest amongst all of the populations. Although the prevalence of hypodontia (7.3%) is comparable to that of other populations, mandibular incisors were the most frequently missing teeth in southern Chinese (5.6%) and this finding contradicted those from studies of other ethnic groups.

Conclusion:

Higher prevalences of double tooth, dens evaginatus and missing mandibular incisors can be considered to be characteristics of the southern Chinese permanent dentition.

Keywords:

Dental anomalies, permanent dentition, southern Chinese.