Prevalence of taurodontism in individuals in Northwest China determined by cone-beam computed tomography images

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prevalence of taurodontism in a group of adult dental patients in Northwest China with the aid of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODS: This study used Shifman and Chanannel's criteria to statistically analyze the prevalence of taurodontism in the premolars and molars of the Chinese population. CBCT images of 5488 teeth from 580 subjects of Chinese origin were evaluated. The measured data were statistically analyzed and the chi-square test was also used to compare the prevalence of taurodontism between male and female subjects and between the upper and lower jaws (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Taurodontism was detected in 169 patients, with a prevalence of 29.14%, of which 27.24% were males and 30.65% were females. The chi-square test showed that there was no significant difference between males and females (P > 0.05). Taurodontism was found in 7.45% of all teeth examined. Taurodonts were significantly more common in the maxilla (9.06%) than in the mandible (5.15%) (P < 0.001), and the maxillary second molar (25.18%) was the most common tooth affected. According to morphology, hypotaurodonts were the most common (60.39%) among taurodontic teeth. CONCLUSIONS: Taurodontism was relatively common in the Chinese population and was almost equally distributed between males and females. The maxillary second molar was the most common tooth of all taurodonts measured, and taurodonts were significantly more common in the maxilla than in the mandible. Hypotaurodontism was the most common form of taurodontism. Our study provides a reference for dental deformities in the Chinese population and the diagnosis and treatment of taurodontism.