Definition
- Microdontia is when the teeth are abnormally small
- Macrodontia is when the teeth are abnormally large
Classification
- True generalised microdontia is very rare and occurs in pituitary dwarfism
- Relative generalised microdontia is when all teeth appear smaller relative to enlarged jaws
- Localised microdontia is also termed focal or pseudo-microdontia
- Localised microdontia is often associated with hypodontia (reduced number of teeth)
Causes
- Congenital hypopituitarism
- Ectodermal dysplasia
- Down syndrome
- Ionizing radiation to the jaws during tooth development
- Chemotherapy during tooth development
Treatment
- Unerupted microdonts may require surgical removal to prevent cyst formation
- Erupted microdonts, especially peg laterals, may cause cosmetic concern
- Restoring such teeth to resemble normal size is possible with composite build-ups or crowns
- Severe cases may require orthodontics to close gaps between teeth
- Treatment options may vary depending on individual cases
Epidemiology
- Females are more affected by microdontia than males
- Microdontia occurs more frequently in permanent (adult) teeth than deciduous (baby) teeth
- The condition's prevalence in upper laterals is just under 1%
- Statistics on the overall prevalence of microdontia vary across populations
- Further research is needed to determine the exact epidemiology of microdontia
Microdontia is a condition in which one or more teeth appear smaller than normal. In the generalised form, all teeth are involved. In the localised form, only a few teeth are involved. The most common teeth affected are the upper lateral incisors and third molars.
Microdontia | |
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Radiograph (X-ray) showing microdontia. Note also periapical lesion on the maxillary left lateral incisor. | |
Specialty | Dentistry |
Teeth affected by microdontia may also have abnormal shape, and the abnormal size may affect the whole tooth, or only a part of the tooth.
micro- + -odont + -ia
microdontia (uncountable)