Four Unusual Teeth Problems You May Not Have Heard of

As your child grows up, we keep a close eye on the development of their teeth and jaws. The following conditions are rare but treatable.

Hypodontia and Anodontia

Hypodontia is where several teeth don’t develop. Anodontia is where some or all the teeth fail to form. It can affect baby teeth but is more commonly found in adult teeth. Both are genetic disorders, and missing teeth can be replaced, initially with dentures and eventually with dental implants.

Talon Cusps

A talon cusp is a conical like growth that develops towards the back of a tooth. It can irritate the gums and is difficult to keep clean and cause other problems like malocclusion or tooth overcrowding. Sometimes a talon cusp contains the dental pulp, and root canal therapy might be needed. However, the most common treatment is to grind the cusp down.

Geminated Teeth

This condition is where two teeth develop from a single bud, resulting in an overlarge tooth with two separate dental pulps but just a single root.  If the tooth isn’t too big, we may leave it alone to see if it falls out naturally, but otherwise, we can extract it.

Hypodontia

With this condition, extra teeth form, most often in the upper arch, but they may not erupt. Their development can delay the eruption of other teeth and cause overcrowding. Treatments include tooth extraction or orthodontics.