Prevalence and characteristics of supernumerary teeth in a non-syndrome Turkish population: associated pathologies and proposed treatment.

OBJECTIVE The objectives of the present study were to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of supernumerary teeth and evaluate the associated pathologies and treatment protocol in a Turkish patient population. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective study was performed using full-mouth periapical and panoramic radiographs of 3491 patients (2146 females and 1345 males) ranging in age from 12 to 25. For each patient with supernumerary teeth we recorded the demographic variables (including age, sex), number, location, position, type, and morphology of supernumerary teeth, associated pathologies or complications, and whether any treatment has been carried out. The Pearson chi-squared test was used to determine potential differences in the distribution of supernumerary teeth when stratified by gender. RESULTS Supernumerary teeth were detected in 42 subjects (1.2%), of which 27 were males and 15 were females with a 1.8:1 male female ratio (p<0.001). The most commonly found supernumerary teeth were mesiodens (31.3%) followed by premolar (25.0%), lateral (22.9%), distomolar (14.5%), paramolar (4.2%), and canine (2.1%). Of the 48 supernumerary teeth examined, 50.0% (n=24) were conical, 81.3% (n=39) were in a vertical position, and 20.8% (n=10) were erupted. Supernumerary teeth caused rotation or displacement of the adjacent teeth in 14 cases, and the impaction of the permanent teeth in 8 cases. CONCLUSION The prevalence of supernumerary teeth in our series was found to be 1.2%, the most frequent type being mesiodens. Rotation or displacement of permanent teeth was the most frequent complication caused by supernumerary teeth.