Dental anomalies in different growth and skeletal malocclusion patterns

To evaluate prevalence, distribution, and sexual dimorphism of dental anomalies (DA) among different skeletal malocclusions (SM) and growth patterns (GP) under the hypothesis that specific clinical patterns exist and may indicate common etiological roots. A total of 1047 orthodontic records of patients older than 8 years were evaluated. The SN-GoGn angle was used to classify GP (hypodivergent, normal, and hyperdivergent), and the ANB angle was used to verify SM (Angle Classes I, II, and III). These assessments were done from lateral cephalometric radiographs. DA were diagnosed using panoramic radiographs by one calibrated investigator. Odds ratios, chi-square, and Student's t-tests were used. Of the subjects, 56.7% were female, with mean age of 16.41 (±10.61) years. The prevalence of DA was 15.7%. Impaction and tooth agenesis were the most prevalent DA, with relative frequencies of 14.4% and 9.7%, respectively. DA were most prevalent in Class III SM (80.8%) and in hypodivergent GP (82.5%), although this was not statistically significant. Tooth agenesis ( P < .01) and microdontia ( P = .025) were significantly more common among hypodivergent GP and Class III SM, respectively. The results of this study support the idea that DA are preferentially associated with certain patterns of malocclusion.