Prevalence and severity of ectopic eruption of first permanent molars in 5 to 12 year old children attending Dubai Dental Hospital in United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Background: Ectopic eruption (EE) occurs when a tooth fails to follow its normal pathway of eruption. Failure to detect EE of a first permanent molar (FPM) can lead to premature loss of the second primary molar, loss of space available for the erupting premolar and complex treatment. It is usually diagnosed during radiographic examination in early mixed dentition. Selection of proper treatment option depends on the severity of EE.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the patterns and severity of EE of FPM among 5- to 12-year-old children attending Dubai Dental Hospital (DDH).

Materials and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using the dental records (radiographs and notes) of 962 patients (485 males, and 477 females) aged 5 to 12 years. The gender, age, nationality, and medical status of the patients, the tooth number, and severity of EE were recorded. The reported diagnosis of the EE of FPM in the patients’ record and whether the patient was treated by a faculty member, or a postgraduate dentist were also recorded.

Results: Of the 962 patients, 39 (4.1%) patients had one of more EE of FPM. In those 39 patients, 61 ectopically erupting FPMs were reported. The distribution of EE of FPM showed significant difference between maxillary (2%) and mandibular (1.1%) FPMs (pvalue=0.01334). Also, bilateral EE was 2.6 times more common in the maxillae than the mandible (p-value=0.013). Faculty members (8.3%) had reported significantly more ectopic eruptions of FPMs than training dentists (3.6%) (p-value=0.033).

Conclusions: The prevalence of EE was within the range reported in previous studies.