Unerupted permanent incisors and associated dental anomalies

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between unerupted permanent incisors and dental anomalies among children and adolescents.

Methods: The clinical records of patients between January 2005 and December 2014 were retrieved to identify those with unerupted permanent incisors. A retrospective audit on the presence or absence of any dental anomalies was done from all available records of the included patients.

Results: A total of 266 patients with 320 unerupted permanent incisors were identified from the 15 987 patients in the study. Among the unerupted permanent incisors, 222 (69.4%) were associated with dental anomalies, which was significantly higher than those showing an absence of dental anomalies (N = 98, 30.6%, P < 0.001). For the unerupted maxillary central incisors, a significantly higher proportion was associated with supernumerary teeth (P < 0.001). For the unerupted maxillary lateral incisors, a significantly higher proportion was associated with the ectopic eruption of permanent canines when compared with other dental anomalies (P < 0.001). The presence of the ectopic eruption of permanent canine, double teeth, and hyperdontia was significantly higher among male patients with unerupted permanent incisors.

Conclusions: Unerupted permanent incisors were associated with supernumerary teeth and ectopic eruption of permanent canines. Specifically, a higher proportion of unerupted maxillary central incisors was associated with the presence of supernumerary teeth, whereas a higher percentage of unerupted maxillary lateral incisors was associated with the ectopic eruption of permanent canines.