[Genetic analysis of tooth development and eruption in 82 pairs of female-female twins].

OBJECTIVE

To study the heritability of tooth development and eruption.

METHODS

82 pairs of female-female twins between 6-12 years old were collected. Twin zygosity diagnosis were made by DNA-fingerprinting. The number of third molar present, hypodontia, upper lateral incisor malformation and the number of erupted permanent teeth were recorded by oral examination and panoramic radiographs, their heritabilities were calculated.

RESULTS

According to the level of heritability, the dental traits were aligned as follows: the number of third molars present, the upper lateral incisor malformation, hypodontia and the number of erupted permanent teeth.

CONCLUSION

Though both the tooth development and its eruption were under genetic influence, the heritability of tooth development was far more than tooth eruption.