Epidemiological and Clinical Features of Regional Odontodysplasia in South Korean Pediatric Patients: A Multicenter Case Series Study

Abstract

Background: Regional odontodysplasia (RO) is a rare developmental dental anomaly with unknown prevalence. Current knowledge is largely limited to individual case reports. Aim: This study aims to present epidemiological data, clinical features, and radiographic characteristics of pediatric and adolescent patients with RO in South Korea. Design: In this multicenter cohort study, we prospectively and retrospectively recruited participants from 11 university dental hospitals. Patients aged < 19 years diagnosed with RO were included in this study. In prospective cases, epidemiological information, family history, and clinical and radiographic data were collected after obtaining parental consent. All data were anonymized and stored using a study-specific data management system. Results: Age at diagnosis ranged from 2 to 12 years, with a higher incidence in males. RO was more commonly observed in the maxilla, and all patients exhibited delayed eruption and development. The treatment approaches vary widely and include observation, extraction, pulp therapy, crown restoration, prosthetic rehabilitation, and orthodontic treatment. Conclusion: This multicenter study provides the first comprehensive dataset on RO in Korean children and adolescents. These findings will contribute to the development of clinical guidelines and inform future healthcare policies for the management of rare dental anomalies.