A Study on the Prevalence of Teeth Anomalies in High School Students in Mashhad, Iran in 2001

Anomalies in shape, size and number of teeth are a big problem fororthodontic patients. Peg shaped teeth and other anomalies are seen in orthodonticpatients, therefore we decided to study this matter. The purpose of this study was toevaluate dental anomalies such as peg-shaped teeth, enamel hypoplasia, palatal cusp inlaterals (talon cusp), misshaped and extra cusps in posterior teeth. This investigation was a cross-sectional study using directobservation and a questionnaires. In this investigation, 906 students (416 girls and 490boys) in the 15 to 18 year-old age range were selected in a random cluster samplingmethod from seven different school districts. Data were analyzed by SPSS. Statisticalanalysis was performed using Fisher’s extact test. 1) In the total sample population anomalies were 3.6% in boys and 2.5% in girls. 2) In total, 28 teeth had anomalies (18 in boys and 10 in girls). The difference was not significant. 3) In boys the total anomalies were 64.3% and in girls 35.7%. The difference was not significant. Frequencies of anomalies were as follows: 4) Overall peg shaped laterals were seen in 39.3% (21.4% in girls and 17.9% in boys). The difference was not significant. 5) Misshaped teeth were 3.6% in girls and 17.9% in boys (total of 21.4%). The difference was not significant. 6) Overall talon cusps were seen in 21.43% (10.7% boys and 10.7% in girls). The difference was not significant. 7) Extra cusps were seen in (14.3% in boys and 0% in girls). The difference was not significant. 8) Overall enamel dysplasia was seen in 3.6%. 9) The Overall frequency of dental anomalies were as follows: Peg shaped laterals in 39.3%, misshaped teeth in 21.4%, talon cusp in laterals in 21.4%, extra cusp in posterior teeth in 14.3% and enamel dysplasia in 3.6%. In this investigation we concluded that some teeth anomalies are more common in boys than in girls. In boys, teeth anomalies were more than in girls. Pegshaped laterals were more than any other kind of teeth anomaly and seen more commonly in girls than in boys. Other kinds of anomaly such as extra cusp in posterior teeth and enamel hypoplasia were only seen in boys. Talon cusps were equally observed in girls and boys. Although there were differences in the frequency of an anomalies with respect to gender, these differences were not statistically significant.