A Radıographıc Evaluatıon of Thırd-Molar Agenesıs and Assocıated Dental Anomalıes a Group of Turkısh Populatıon

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of dental anomalies in a Turkish population with different patterns of third-molar agenesis, comparing them with patients without thirdmolaragenesis. A sample of 1552 patients with agenesis of at least 1 third molar was divided into 4 groups according to the third-molar agenesis pattern, and a control group of 402 patients without third-molar agenesis was randomly selected from the Erciyes University-Oral and Maxillo Facial Radiology archives. Panoramic radiographs were used to determine the associated dental anomalies, such as hypodontia, hyperdontia, impaction, dilaceration, microdontia, ectopic eruption, transposition, and transmigration. The Pearson chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to determine the differencesin the distribution of the associated dental anomalies among the groups. When we compared the groups according to the various third-molar agenesis patterns, we found that agenesis of other teeth was more common in patients with agenesis of 3 and 4 third molars. Additionally, the patients with agenesis of 4 third molars exhibited maxillary lateral-incisor microdontia more frequently. Another important finding was a higher prevalence of total dental anomalies in patients with agenesis of 3 and 4 third molars compared with the control group. Permanent tooth agenesis, microdontia of maxillary lateral incisors, and total dental anomalies are more frequently associated with agenesis of 4 third molars than with the presence of third molars.