ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to document the prevalence of hypodontia in the permanent dentition among a group of Turkish sample who sought orthodontic treatment and to compare present results with the specific findings of other populations. The occurrence was evaluated in relation to gender, specific missing teeth, the location and pattern of distribution in the maxillary and mandibular arches and right and left sides.Materials And MethodsOrthodontic files of 2413 patients (1557 females-mean age: 17.78±5.41 years old and 856 males-mean age:17.02±5.47 years old) which included orthopantomograms, study models, and anamnestic data were examined for evidence of hypodontia.ResultsThe prevalence of hypodontia was 7.54% (8.09% for female and 6.54% for male). Hypodontia was found considerably more frequently in the maxilla than in the mandible. Similarity in the distribution of missing teeth between the right and left sides was detected. The most frequently missing teeth were the maxillary lateral incisors, followed by the mandibular and maxillary second premolars. The majority of patients had one or two teeth missing, but seldom three or more.ConclusionsPresent data for hypodontia were within the wide range reported in the literature. The findings of patients with hypodontia involving the anterior teeth and others missing more than two teeth in the same quadrant were an indication of a great need for orthodontic treatment. By early detection of missing teeth, alternative treatment modalities can be planned and performed with a multidisciplinary team approach.

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of malocclusion in a population of Central Anatolian adolescents in relation to gender.MethodsThe sample comprised 2329 teenagers (1125 boys and 1204 girls), aged between 12 and 17 years (mean age: 14.6 yrs). Occlusal anteroposterior relationships were assessed using the Angle classification. Other variables examined were overjet, overbite, crowding, midline diastema, posterior crossbite, and scissors bite.ResultsThe results showed that about 10.1% of the subjects had normal occlusions, 34.9% of the subjects had Class I malocclusions, 40.0% had Class II Division 1 malocclusions, 4.7% had Class II Division 2 malocclusions and 10.3% had Class III malocclusions. Over 53.5% had normal overbites, and 18.3%, 14.4%, 5.6%, and 8.2% had increased, reduced, edge-to-edge or anterior open bite values, respectively. Overjet relationship was normal in 58.9%, increased in 25.1%, reversed in 10.4%, and edge-to-edge in 5.6%. A posterior crossbite registered in 9.5% and scissors bite in 0.3%. Anterior crowding was present in 65.2% of the sample and midline diastema in 7.0%. No clear gender differences were noted, except for normal overbite (most frequent in girls, P<.001) and increased overbite (most frequent in boys, P<.05).ConclusionsClass II Division 1 malocclusion is the most prevalent occlusal pattern among the Central Anatolian adolescents and the high values (25.1% and 18.3%) of increased overjet and overbite were a reflection of the high prevalence of Class II malocclusion.

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One of the most important components of orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning is the evaluation of the patient's soft tissue profile. The main purpose of this study was to develop soft-tissue cephalometric standards for Turkish men and women and compare them with the cephalometric standards of normal European-American white people. The sample included 96 Turkish adults (48 women, 48 men), aged 20 to 27 years. Turkish subjects have increased facial convexity associated with retruded mandible, more obtuse lower face-throat angle, increased nasolabial angle and upper lip protrusion, deeper mentolabial sulcus, and smaller interlabial gap compared with European-American white people. It is appropriate to consider these differences during routine diagnosis and treatment planning of a Turkish patient or an American patient of European ancestry. Turkish males reveal more obtuse mandibular prognathism and upper lip protrusion, and smaller nasolabial angle than females.

Disharmony between tooth size and dental arch size induces orthodontic problems. So, dental indices were identified by various authors. One of these is Pont who determined a method of prediction of the ideal dental arch width which has become known as Pont's Index. The purpose of this study was to assess the applicability of Pont's Index to a Turkish population and to compare the results with those obtained from studies of different ethnic subjects. The sample comprised 64 male subjects and 78 female subjects with age range from 14 to 15 years. Measurements were obtained directly from plaster casts; they included mesiodistal crown diameters of the four maxillary incisors, as well as interpremolar and intermolar maxillary arch widths as specified by Pont. Correlation coefficients determined between the measured arch width values and those calculated according to Pont's Index were low in all cases, with r values ranging from 0.02 to 0.36. It was concluded that Pont's Index should not be used to predetermine ideal arch width values in Turkish individuals.