Unerupted incisors : characteristic features and associated anomalies

Abstract

The aims of this study were to investigate the association of unerupted incisors with other dental anomalies and to indicate the aetiological and clinical relevance of such associations. Forty-one patients with unerupted incisors were examined. The group comprised 30 males and 11 females, ranging in age from 7 to 39 years. The patients were assessed for nine dental anomalies: hyperdontia, hypodontia, microdontia, enamel hypoplasia, infraocclusion of the primary molars and ectopia of the canines, premolars, first permanent molars, and second permanent molars. The patients were matched with respect to age and gender to 41 consecutively selected control subjects with similar selection criteria but no history of problems with incisor eruption. The prevalence rates of the dental anomalies in association with failure of eruption of incisors were compared to the reference rates in the control group by means of Pearson chi-square tests. The results of this study revealed that unerupted incisors were more frequent in males than in females. A statistically significant association (P = 0.006) was found between unerupted incisors and other inherited dental anomalies, namely ectopic teeth, hyperdontia, and enamel hypoplasia. Unerupted incisors may be considered part of a spectrum of inheritable dental anomalies.