Prevalence of dental anomalies in patients from a teaching dental hospital in the UAE

Context: The occurrence of dental anomalies varies between different populations. Knowledge of regional occurrence and prevalence of dental anomalies is important for proper diagnosis and patient management. Aims: This study was intended to determine the prevalence of developmental dental defects in patients from a teaching hospital in the United Arab Emirates. Settings and Design: A retrospective study was performed using 2925 radiographs from the database of the radiology department at RAK College of Dental Sciences. Subjects and Methods: Panoramic radiographs of 400 patients between 17 and 60 years of age were presented anomalies in teeth number, shape, size, and position. The patient general information, type of anomaly, and affected tooth was determined. Statistical Analysis: Data were summarized and analyzed using nonparametric tests. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The prevalence of developmental dental defects was 14.7% (n = 400) out of which 170 cases were further analyzed. The anomalies were evenly distributed among both genders and were most prevalent and diverse in the Syrian subpopulation. The most common anomalies were tooth hypodontia (19%) and root dilaceration (16%). The least common anomalies were hyperdontia (3%), taurodontism (3%), and retained primary teeth (1%). The most affected teeth were the maxillary and mandibular third molars. Conclusions: The high prevalence of dental defects suggests the need for proper diagnosis, intervention, and treatment. Further research into etiological factors for dental defects could create awareness and guide preventive strategies to assist in minimizing the associated dental problems.