When you become a parent, you don’t expect to learn words like hyperdontia and supernumerary teeth, but if your child experiences dental problems, these terms may quickly become familiar.
Hyperdontia involves having extra teeth. Though it’s not a painful condition, it can cause complications that do lead to pain and discomfort for your child. This is why it’s so important to understand as much as possible about kid’s extra teeth removal in Wheaton, IL.
What is Hyperdontia?
Hyperdontia is used to describe a mouth with too many teeth. Most children have 20 baby teeth, which fall out and are replaced with 32 permanent adult teeth.
If your child grows extra teeth beyond the 20 primary or 32 permanent teeth, your Wheaton pediatric dentist may describe them as “supernumerary” teeth. It’s possible to have extra baby teeth, extra adult teeth, or both, although it’s relatively rare. The prevalence of hyperdontia in baby teeth ranges between 0.3% to 0.6% of children.
Sometimes supernumerary teeth are easy to spot, but other times it takes a dentist’s carefully trained eye to identify hyperdontia. They may be shaped like candy corn, nearby teeth, or abnormal growths. Here are a few examples of supernumerary teeth in children:
- An extra tooth grows in front of or behind a baby tooth
- An extra tooth grows between the two front permanent teeth of an adolescent child
- Two peg-shaped teeth form behind the top incisor teeth
Luckily, supernumerary teeth can be treated once they are identified.
How Can Dentists Treat Supernumerary Teeth?
Supernumerary teeth can cause problems if they aren’t removed in a timely manner.
Though the teeth themselves rarely cause pain, they disrupt the normal function and arrangement of the mouth. This often leads to complications such as:
- Crowding and misalignment of permanent teeth
- Irregular facial appearance
- Speech problems
- Cyst formation
- Abscesses, cavities, and infections
Fortunately for children and parents alike, hyperdontia can be easy for pediatric dentists to spot at routine dental visits. Even if supernumerary teeth don’t erupt out of the gums, your child’s dentist will notice them during the x-ray process.
Hyperdontia is effectively treated by removing the extra teeth, often with a basic extraction procedure.
Finding the Best Kids Extra Teeth Removal in Wheaton
You want the most qualified and experienced experts to handle your child’s extra teeth removal in Wheaton. The team at DPD Smiles understands that, which is why our pediatric dentist Dr. Joshi and Dr. Brady, who performs oral surgery, work together to ensure your child’s hyperdontia is treated quickly, carefully, and effectively. Depending on the complexity of the removal will determine which provider will perform the extraction.
Contact DPD Smiles to learn more and schedule an appointment or consultation for your DPD Rockstar today!
