A treatment planning classification for oligodontia.

PURPOSE: The aim of this research was to provide a classification for patients with oligodontia that could act as an aid in treatment planning.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Panoramic radiograph records of 70 patients with oligodontia were used to categorize the extent of the disability and treatment modality. Patients were classified into types 1 through 3 depending on the number of missing primary and permanent teeth, as well as in relation to their prosthodontic requirements. The radiographs were then assessed independently on two separate occasions by three experienced clinicians to validate the classification.

RESULTS

There was a high level of intrarater consistency in allocating patients into the three different types with a Kappa (k) score of 0.77 for clinician 1, 0.87 for clinician 2, and 0.94 for clinician 3. There was also a strong interrater agreement (overall k score: 0.88). A k score greater then 0.6 is regarded as being good and greater than 0.8 as being very good.

CONCLUSIONS

Oligodontia is a heterogeneous condition. Patients with oligodontia can be classified as having three different types according to the extent of their disability and the complexity of their prosthodontic requirements. This classification is a reliable diagnostic tool based on the positive outcome of the inter- and intrarater consistency.