Prevalence of congenitally missing second premolar teeth in the Dravidian population

INTRODUCTION: In the practice of dentistry, one of the most common dental anomalies encountered is the congenitally missing teeth (CMT) with dierent prevalence in each region. CMT are those that fail to erupt in the oral cavity and remain invisible in radiographs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of congenitally missing second premolar teeth in the Dravidian population that can be used in forensic research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, a total of 4600 panoramic radiographs of Dravidian children (2580 girls and 2020 boys) with an age group of 9–17 years were viewed for congenitally missing second premolar teeth. RESULTS: The total number of congenitally missing second premolars was 80 (1.73%). The prevalence was seen more in girls (60%) than boys (40%). Mandibular second premolar was the most commonly missing teeth. Bilateral agenesis (66%) was more prevalent than the unilateral agenesis (34%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of congenitally missing second premolar teeth in the Dravidian population was 1.02%. The study of CMT is important in performing dental treatments and also in the field of forensic research as it can provide knowledge on the diversities among populations.