The frequency of tooth transposition in Nigerians, its possible aetiologic factors and clinical implications.

This paper reports the frequency of tooth transposition in Nigerians in an attempt to determine the treatment needs of the population under study. The frequency of tooth transposition in this study is 0.135 per cent consisting of 4 males (36.36 per cent) and 7 females (63.64 per cent), which is higher than those reported by some authors in Caucasian. The higher figure may be due to small sample size or due to greater penetrance of this anomaly in blacks. There were 17 transpositions of which 7 were of mandibular lateral incisors and canines (41.18 per cent) 5 maxillary lateral incisors and canines (29.4 per cent) 4 maxillary canines and premolars (23.5 per cent) and one mandibular canine and central incisors (5.88 per cent). The possible aetiologic factors and challenges to management are discussed in view of the dearth of qualified orthodontists for a population of about 88.5 million people.