Occlusion and malocclusion in Lagos

Examination of 300 young inhabitants of Lagos left a profound impression of a population with large teeth in generous arches with frequent spacing of the upper anterior teeth, especially between the central incisors. Spacing of the lower incisors is less frequent, and spacing between the lower canine and first premolar is a transient feature at the age of 13–14 years. Characteristic rotations of the upper canines and lower second premolars are common. There is a tendency towards bimaxillary proclination with minimal overbite and a shift in the incidence of occlusal anomalies towards the Class III end of the scale. Class III molar relationships are, however, compatible with normal incisal relationships. Most of the classic malocclusions occur in Lagos but their incidence differs from that in other parts of the world. The date of eruption of the permanent teeth does not differ appreciably from Europe except that early eruption of the third molars is common.