- Who is most at risk of hyperdontia
- What causes excess teeth
- How the treatment is done
- Possible consequences of excess teeth
- How teeth grow naturally
Hyperdontia is a rare condition in which extra teeth appear in the mouth, which can happen in childhood, when the first teeth appear, or during adolescence, when the permanent dentition begins to grow.
In normal situations, the number of primary teeth in the child's mouth is up to 20 teeth and in the adult it is 32 teeth. Thus, any extra tooth is known as supernumerary and already characterizes a case of hyperdontia, causing changes in the mouth with pitted teeth. Discover 13 more curiosities about teeth.
Although it is more common for only 1 or 2 more teeth to appear, without causing a major change in the person's life, there are cases in which it is possible to observe up to 30 extra teeth and, in these cases, a lot of discomfort may arise, with surgery to remove supernumerary teeth.
Who is most at risk of hyperdontia
Hyperdontia is a rare condition that is more common in men, but it can affect anyone, especially when suffering from other conditions or syndromes such as cleidocranial dysplasia, Gardner's syndrome, cleft palate, cleft lip or Ehler-Danlos syndrome.
What causes excess teeth
There is still no specific cause for hyperdontia, however, it is possible that this condition is caused by a genetic alteration, which can pass from parents to children, but which does not always cause the development of extra teeth.
How the treatment is done
Excess teeth should always be evaluated by a dentist to identify whether the extra tooth is causing any changes in the natural anatomy of the mouth. If this happens, it is usually necessary to remove the extra tooth, especially if it is part of the permanent dentition, through minor surgery in the office.
In some cases of children with hyperdontia, the extra tooth may not cause any problems and, therefore, the dentist often chooses to let it fall naturally, without having to undergo surgery.
Possible consequences of excess teeth
Hyperdontia in most cases does not cause discomfort for the child or adult, but it may be causing minor complications related to the anatomy of the mouth, such as increasing the risk of cysts or tumors, for example. Thus, all cases must be evaluated by a dentist.
How teeth grow naturally
The first teeth, known as primary or baby teeth, usually start to appear at around 36 months and then fall off until around 12 years. During this period, the baby teeth are being replaced by permanent teeth, which are only complete by the age of 21.
However, there are children in whom baby teeth fall out sooner or later than expected and, in such cases, it is important that the dentition is evaluated by a dentist. Learn more about baby teeth and when they should fall.
