Prevalence of Common Clinically Manifested Developmental Anomalies of the Oral Cavity Among Adults – An Epidemiological Study in a South Indian Population

Introduction Developmental anomalies are malformation which arises due to the disturbances during the development of the organs. Although there have been many studies that have described the prevalence of these anomalies in the oral cavity, none have specified the prevalence of clinically manifested anomalies and their distribution between gender. Materials and methods In this study, 500 patients aged 18 to 50 years were screened for clinically manifested developmental anomalies. These were then divided based on age, sex, and jaws, which were then analyzed using a chi-square test and tabulated. Results We detected anomalies in 12.2% of the study population. Supernumerary teeth were the most prevalent anomaly detected (4.25%). The frequency of developmental anomalies was higher in men (57.1%). Conclusions Supernumerary teeth were the most widely recognized anomaly. Other anomalies identified were related to the shape and size of teeth. These anomalies can lead to severe orofacial problems. Therefore, proper care of these anomalies should be taken.