What is a supernumerary tooth?

The typical human mouth has 32 teeth – 16 on the upper arch and 16 on the lower arch. However, some people develop extra teeth, which are also known as supernumerary teeth or hyperdontia. These extra teeth can be deciduous (primary) or permanent, although they tend to be permanent more often than deciduous. Patients can have a single supernumerary tooth or multiple ones.

As you might expect, supernumerary teeth can have a significant impact on the smile’s appearance.

If you have supernumerary teeth, your dentist will look for signs of the potential problems that can result from the condition, including misaligned or crowded permanent teeth, interference with normal tooth eruption, and pathological structures like cysts or tumors.

In some cases, the supernumerary tooth will not cause any problems, but it is more likely that the best dentists will recommend extraction of a supernumerary tooth.

Extraction alone may not be sufficient to address the problems caused by supernumerary teeth, In such cases, the best dentists in Plano will often take a collaborative approach to treating patients with supernumerary teeth. These patients may require orthodontic treatment and oral surgery to correct any issues with the alignment of the teeth or facial structures.

Supernumerary teeth are often genetic, and they occur with greater frequency when certain other conditions, like cleft palate, are present. It is unclear exactly why this phenomenon happens, but there are a few theories involving abnormal patterns in tooth bud development.

The supernumerary teeth are organized into categories that are based on the extra tooth’s structure and location. The four categories are: conical (peg-shaped teeth located between the two front teeth), tuberculate (with more than one cusp, located behind the upper incisors), supplemental (extra lateral incisors, molars or premolars; mostly deciduous), and odontoma (disorganized mass of dental tissue).

Don’t let supernumerary teeth ruin your smile and your self-confidence. Treatments are available to restore your smile’s aesthetics. Contact one of the best dentists serving Plano Texas to learn more about your options.