Things You Should Know About Your Childrens Teeth

By Harold Johnson

Children are not immune to dental complications, they are actually more susceptible and will have more complications in the future due to dental conditions. The lack of development of permanent teeth effects 2.8 percent of the United States population, and may lead to other dental complications and malnutrition. The absence of permanent teeth is known as hypodontia or oligodontia, depending on the number of teeth missing and is commonly referred to as congenitally missing teeth. Hypodontia describes 6 or less teeth missing, and oligodontia describes more than 6 teeth missing. A condition in which all teeth are missing is rare but still occurs, this is called anodontia.

On average, permanent teeth appear in the early teens, between 12 and 14 years of age. But radiography as early as time of birth shows the development of primary teeth and the spaces where permanent molars will appear. A radiography can be used to make an early diagnosis of hypodontia or oligodontia, but a positive diagnosis cannot be made until the approximate age of 6. The most common cases of hypo- and oligodontia involve missing teeth on just one side of the jaw, but some cases of missing teeth occur on both sides of the jaw.

Factors that have an effect on the development and eruption of permanent teeth are environmental and genetical. Environmental effects that may cause hypodontia or oligodontia are fractures in the jaw occurring before tooth development, surgery on the jaw, chemo and radiation therapies, treatment for malignant diseases, irradiation procedures, and Thalidomide use during pregnancy. Thalidomide is a medication used for multiple myeloma and as a sedative. The genetic factor that causes hypodontia and oligodontia is a mutation chromosomes MSX1 and PAX9. There are thought to be mutations in other chromosomes that affect tooth development, but they have not been discovered yet. Screening tools for mutations in the MSX1 and PAX9 genes are used in research, but are not yet available for routine testing.

In hypodontia or oligodontia cases an open bite, gap between teeth, may be present, and teeth do not respond to treatment with braces. Some cases have partially erupted teeth that may be covered by soft tissue, and is some cases, teeth are so tight in its socket that the tooth cannot erupt normally. Dental occlusion is a term describing the way that the upper and lower teeth fit together when the jaw is closed, hypo/oligodontia has an affect on the way this occurs.

Teeth that are present in the mouth of a victim may be smaller in size or/and deformed in shape compared to teeth from an unaffected person. Some teeth may be rotated, this means that the tooth is not facing the direction it should. The formation of unaffected teeth may be delayed and eruption may occur at a later then normal age. A condition called hypocalcification can be present in some cases due to the enamel layer on a tooth or teeth being too thin, causing dents or scrapes in teeth, discoloration of entire tooth, or spots of discoloration.

Only approximately 2.8% of the US population suffers from congenital missing teeth, and, in most cases, only two teeth are missing. The mandibular premolars and the maxillary central incisors are the most common teeth that fail to erupt. If there is a history of hypodontia or oligodontia in either of the parents families, then there is a high possibility that a child born to those parents will have congenitally missing teeth. If the child is female, the possibility increases slightly because studies show a slight increase of predominance in females. - 29879

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