Prevalence of Congenitally Missing Permanent Teeth in Japanese Individuals with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

Abstract

　　The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of congenitally missing maxillary lateral incisor or other permanent teeth in Japanese patients with non-syndromic unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). We enrolled 120 Japanese individuals (70 males and 50 females) with non-syndromic UCLP who visited the Department of Orthodontics at Showa University Dental Hospital. Congenitally missing maxillary lateral incisor or other permanent teeth was diagnosed by panoramic radiography, dental records, and self-reported medical and dental history. As a result, 60 UCLP patients (50.00%) had congenitally missing maxillary lateral incisor(s), two patients (1.67%) had a congenitally missing maxillary central incisor, and one patient (0.83%) had a congenitally missing maxillary canine. Moreover, three patients (2.50%) had a congenitally missing maxillary second premolar and five patients (4.17%) had a congenitally missing lower second premolar. It is important to clarify the prevalence of dental anomalies, especially congenitally missing teeth, in UCLP to improve decision-making for orthodontic treatment.