Eur J Anat, 9 (1): 23-27 (2005)

Variations in the number of human permanent teeth: Hypodontia

Jimenez-Castellanos E., Carmona A., Catalina-Herrera C.J., Cordero E., Jimenez-Castellanos J.

Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humana, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Sevilla, 41009 Sevilla, Spain; Departamento de Estomatología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Sevilla, 41009 Sevilla, Spain; Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humana, Facultad de Medicina, 41009 Sevilla, Spain

ABSTRACT The partial absence of teeth germs is a hereditary or acquired congenital defect called hypodontia. The present report analyses and discusses hypodontia in permanent dentition on the basis of eleven clinical cases. In these, the hypodontia corresponded to mandibular central incisors, maxillary lateral incisors, maxillary canines, or maxillary and mandibular premolars and molars. All these cases of hypodontia were recorded by photographs of the oral cavity and/or by orthopantomographic studies. Together with the most-frequent types of hypodontia already reported in the literature, other unusual anomalies-the lack of permanent canines, central incisors, or molars - from both the maxillary and mandibular alveolar arches- were also detected.

Keywords: adolescent, adult, article, canine tooth, clinical article, dentition, female, human, hypodontia, incisor, male, mandible, maxilla, medical photography, molar tooth, mouth cavity, panoramic radiography, physical examination, premolar tooth, school child, tooth, tooth development