Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Treatment of Facial Deformities using 3D Planning and Printing of Patient-Specific Implants
Published on: May 23, 2020
A treatment planning classification for oligodontia
Steven L Singer1, Patrick J Henry, Ian D Lander
1Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Australia. ssin9420@iinet.net.au
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.
Related Concept Videos
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
