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