Incidence of impacted teeth in Saudi Arabian dental patients

ABSTRACT

The records of 1,010 dental patients of Saudi Arabian Nationality comprising of 478 females and 532 males were analyzed for tooth impaction. The incidence of impaction was 18.71% with a significantly higher incidence in females [P <0.05]. The commonest teeth impacted were the 3rd molars [12.5%], permanent canines [3.86%], mandibular 2nd premolars [1.68%] and the maxillary central incisors [0.40%]. Third molar impaction were found more prevalent in females than males [P <0.01], while there was no significant difference in the incidence of canine impaction in both sexes [P <0.05]. Third molar impaction were more evenly distributed in both jaws with a slightly higher mandibular incidence, but in one-third of the cases they occur in both arches. The 2nd premolars, however, were impacted significantly more frequently in the mandible while impaction of the canines was significantly more prevalent in the maxilla