Hypodontia is defined as the congenital (inherited) absence of one or more teeth, excluding third molars, and is the most common developmental dental anomaly (Nunn et al, 2003; Larmour et al, 2005).
Patients presenting with hypodontia may report problems with aesthetics, psychosocial concerns or functional difficulties (Goodman et al, 1994). Treatment of hypodontia can be complex, protracted and often requires multidisciplinary input.
The overall prevalence of hypodontia in the permanent dentition is 6.4%, but this varies according to continent. It is most prevalent in Africa, followed by Europe, Asia and Australia (Khalaf et al, 2014).
Hypodontia is more common in females than males, with a ratio of 3:2 (Brook, 1974). The prevalence among orthodontically treated children is 11.3% (Fekonja, 2005). In the primary dentition hypodontia is rare, affecting 0.3% of the UK population with no difference between males and females (Brook, 1974).
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