Humans typically have 20 baby teeth and 32 adult teeth. But did you know that you can have extra teeth in your mouth? This relatively uncommon condition, called hyperdontia, happens when extra teeth grow either on the inner or outer rim of your line of teeth, very close to your normal teeth. Read on to discover some fast facts about these surplus teeth!
They Can Be Adult or Baby Teeth
The extra teeth seen in hyperdontia can be either primary teeth or permanent teeth, although extra permanent teeth tend to be more common. In children that have hyperdontia, the surplus baby teeth can cause problems with the eruption of permanent teeth along with speech problems and even tooth abscesses, so the condition may require treatment.
Hyperdontia Is More Common in Men Than Women
For reasons that aren’t yet clear, hyperdontia is twice as common in men than it is in women. In general, however, hyperdontia is rare, affecting only up to 3.8% of the population [1].
They’re Categorized by Shape and Location
In hyperdontia, extra teeth can appear anywhere that normal teeth can [2]. They can either crowd normal teeth, or come in behind or in front of your regular teeth. These extra teeth are categorized based on their shape and location in the oral cavity. For example, if the tooth is shaped just like the tooth that it’s next to, it’s called a supplemental tooth. People with hyperdontia can also have conical, or sharp-looking teeth, or even tuberculate teeth, which are more barrel-shaped than traditional teeth.
As far as location, the tooth can grow in line with your other teeth, near your molars, or near your incisors. It’s most common for people with hyperdontia to have a tooth that grows behind or near the incisors.
It’s Been Associated With Certain Health Conditions
Although experts aren’t sure what exactly causes hyperdontia, people who have specific health conditions may be more at risk to have surplus teeth. These include genetic disorders such as Gardner’s syndrome and cleidocranial dysostosis, as well as cleft lip and palate [3]. In fact, for people who have extra teeth, their dentist or physician may recommend testing for these and other disorders.
There Are Treatment Options
Hyperdontia can be treated, either by removing the surplus teeth or by using orthodontia to reposition them with your normal teeth [4]. If the extra teeth aren’t causing any problems, they can always be left in. However, if the teeth are causing a speech or hygiene problem, or are impacting a person’s self-confidence, they can typically be removed.
Do You Have Extra Teeth?
Extra teeth aren’t always obvious in the oral cavity, but for those that do have them, they can certainly impact your quality of life. If you have hyperdontia, you can always follow up with your experienced dentist to pursue treatment options for your extra teeth!
Sources:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3198547/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3981250/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4319293/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4282911/
