Hypodontia, Oligodontia and Anodontia in West Virginia Appalachia

Purpose: Children in West Virginia have a high prevalence of missing permanent teeth when compared to children in the rest of the nation. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of permanent tooth hypodontia/oligodontia/anodontia in West Virginia children and to compare the prevalence by sex. Methods: Five hundred panoramic radiographs of West Virginia children, ages 6-11 years, were examined for missing permanent tooth buds/permanent teeth. Data analyses included frequency determinations, Chi square analyses, and logistic regression. Results: Sixty children (12.0%, n=500) had at least one missing permanent tooth bud/permanent tooth. There were 15.5% of females and 8.8% of males who had at least one missing permanent tooth bud/permanent tooth. In adjusted logistic regression on at least one missing permanent tooth bud/permanent tooth, females had an adjusted odds ratio of 2.11 [95% Confidence Interval: 1.18, 3.75; p = .011] compared with males. Other variables in the analysis failed to reach significance. Conclusion: In this sample of West Virginia children, females were more likely to have at least one missing permanent tooth bud/permanent tooth compared to males. Early recognition and treatment planning for dental care is needed for children with hypodontia/oligodontia/anodontia.