Ja. Hobkirk et al., PRESENTING COMPLAINTS AND FINDINGS IN A GROUP OF PATIENTS ATTENDING AHYPODONTIA CLINIC, British Dental Journal, 177(9), 1994, pp. 337-339
A survey is presented of the complaints and findings in a group of 451
patients referred to a multidisciplinary clinic for the management of
hypodontia. The most common complaints were missing teeth, spacing in
the dental arches, and poor appearance. The majority of patients were
referred by their dental practitioners, and more than half were over
12 years old when first seen. Delayed referral can have educational an
d social consequences. Changing attitudes to dental care and the maint
enance of an intact dentition are resulting in hypodontia, particularl
y in its more severe forms, becoming of increasing concern to children
and their parents. The management of this condition is best organised
via multidisciplinary specialist clinics.