This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of hypodontia and congenital malformation in permanent teeth of Saudi Arabian male children. Five-hundred schoolchildren were investigated, selected randomly from Riyadh city. The age group of the examined sample ranged from 13 years and 6 months to 14 years and 6 months. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed. The findings indicated that hypodontia was present in about 4 per cent of the children; most frequently affected was the mandibular second premolars, maxillary laterals, and maxillary second premolars. Tooth malformations, mainly peg-shaped upper lateral incisors were also observed in about 4 per cent of the sample.