Clinical study of maxillary anterior supernumerary teeth

Song, Woo Sik; Kim, In Kwon; Lee, Sang Hyun; Lee, Wan Kee

Abstract

The prevalence of supernumerary teeth is between 1~3%. Of these, 90~98% occur in the maxilla with particular predilection for the premaxilla, preceded by mandibular third premolars, mandibular forth molars and maxillary paramolars. The most common ones occur in the maxillary anterior region, they may occur singly between the central incisors(mesiodens), or they may be double(mesiodentes). Maxillary anterior supernumeraries may erupt into the oral cavity or remain unerupted. It is found that approximately 25% are erupted, while the rest are unerupted. They are usually a small tooth with a cone-shaped crown and a short root. They may cause delayed eruption, median diastema, bodily displacement or rotation of the adjacent permanent teeth. Occasionally they may lead to the developement of dentigerous cyst or primordial cyst, or eruption into nasal cavity. In this study, 109 supernumeraries surgically extracted from premaxilla in 84 patients are analysed. The results are as follows : 1. Sex distribution of male and female is 2.2 : 1 2. Almost cases are in pediatric age from 5 to 12 years old (87%). 3. Problems with supernumeraries are tooth malpositon, diastema, delayed eruption, eruption to nasal cavity and cyst formation. 4. Of 109 supernumeraries, 16(15%) are erupted into oral cavity, 92(84%) are impacted, and 1(1%) is erupted into nasal cavity. 5. Of 84 patients, 59(70%) have one supernumeray while 25(30%) have two supernumeraries. 6. Of 109 supernumeraries, 96(88%) are found within the region of the central incisors. 7. Of 109 supernumeraries, 94(86%) are vertically impacted , 11(10%) are horizontally impacted , 3(3%) are labiopalatally impacted and 1(1%) is impacted in nasal cavity. 8. Of 84 patients, we used palatal flap in 67(80%), labial flap in 6(7%), both flaps in 4(5%) and no flap in 7(8%). And incisive nerve was cut in 33(49%) of 67 palatal flaps. 9. Extration with ostectomy was done in 72 supernumeraries(66%), without ostectomy in 37 teeth(34%). 10. Extraction with tooth sectioning was done in 21 supernumeraries(19%), without tooth sectioning was done in 88 teeth(81%). 11. We used local anesthesia in 70 patients(83%) and general anesthesia in 14 ones(17%).