Prevalence of Supernumerary Teeth and Its Associated Complications among School-going Children between the Ages of 6 and 15 Years of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India

Abstract

Background: Supernumerary teeth (ST) are those that exceed the normal dental formula. This phenomenon is also known as hyperdontia, and can occur in solitary or multiple forms, might be unilateral or bilateral, and affect one or both jaws. Aim: To study the prevalence, gender variations in terms of frequency, characteristic, distribution, and associated complications with the presence of ST in 3,000 school-going children of age 6–15 years in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India. Materials and methods: The study consisted of an examination of randomly selected 3,000 children, female (group I) and male (group II), between the age-group of 6 and 15 years, from both private and government-aided schools. Clinical examinations were carried out by a single investigator under natural daylight in a systematic manner using a mouth mirror and straight probe only. The demographic profiles and number of teeth, including the presence of any ST (site, region, eruption status, morphology, and whether it was present unilaterally or bilaterally), were ascertained. Malocclusion or any complications associated with ST were also noted. Results: ST prevalence was found to be 1.87%, with male to female ratio of 2.29:1. Out of 56 children with ST, eight children had double ST while 48 had single, 53 ST were present in maxilla, and only three in mandible. Based on the region, 51 ST were present in the midline, four in the central incisor region, and one in the molar region. According to morphology, 38 ST were conical, 11 ST were tuberculate, and seven ST were supplementary. Twenty-two ST had associated complications, while 34 ST were asymptomatic. Conclusion: ST prevalence is relatively less, but if left neglected, it can pose serious associated dental problems in the child.