A radiographic survey of dental anomalies in Black pediatric patients.

During seemingly routine check-ups, the dental practitioner must be ever aware of "quiescent" abnormalities or irregularities. Knowledge of special problems occurring within a certain patient population is of great value to the practitioner when evaluating the individual patient. Numerous studies have been conducted evaluating the pediatric Caucasian population; however, no comparable studies for the Black pediatric population have been done. This study sought to establish prevalence rates for the Black pediatric population with regards to the following anomalies: congenitally missing teeth, supernumerary teeth, dens in dente, odontomas, dentinogenesis imperfecta, gemination, fusion and concrescence. The radiographs (panographs mandatory), history forms and treatment progress records of 2,267 children (1,136 males and 1,131 females) were analyzed. Radiographs of poor quality were eliminated and attempts were made to include only children of Black American heritage. Prevalence rates established for a predominantly Black pediatric population were: 4.4%, congenitally missing teeth; 1.49%, supernumerary teeth; 0.26%, dentinogenesis imperfecta (Brandywine type); 0.44%, odontomas; 0.22%, gemination; and 0.12%, fusion. Evidence of dens in dente was found in only one erupted supernumerary maxillary paralateral, and the detection of only one case of concrescence occurred; both have prevalence rates of 0.04%. No other study has produced such a high rate of dentinogenesis imperfecta (.26%), except that conducted within the tri-racial group itself. In addition, if assumptions are to be made from this investigation for the general population, supernumeraries and odontomas may be present significantly more often in the Black than Caucasian pediatric population.