Prevalence and Distribution of Unerupted Teeth in Peruvian Patients: A CBCT Study

Unerupted teeth are clinically relevant because of their potential orthodontic and surgical complications. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and recorded scan-level distribution of unerupted teeth, classified as impacted or retained, in an adult radiographic sample from southern Peru. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using 300 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans from patients aged 18-55 years examined at a radiographic center in Tacna, Peru, between 2022 and 2024. Sex, age, eruption condition, tooth group, anatomical location, and laterality were recorded. When multiple unerupted teeth were present, only one main finding was recorded without a formal prespecified selection criterion. Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and associations with sex and age group were evaluated using Poisson regression with robust variance. Overall, 88 scans showed at least one unerupted tooth, corresponding to a prevalence of 29.3% (95% CI: 24.5-34.7%). The recorded main finding was classified as retained in 67 scans (22.3%) and impacted in 21 scans (7.0%). Prevalence was higher among males, although the association was not statistically significant (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]=1.28; 95% CI: 0.91-1.80; p=0.151). Patients aged 18-29 years had a significantly higher prevalence than those aged 30–55 years (aPR=2.26; 95% CI: 1.60-3.18; p<0.001). Among recorded findings, molars and the mandible were most frequent. These results provide CBCT-based evidence on unerupted teeth in a southern Peruvian radiographic sample.