Hypodontia
In this section, we will cover:
- What is hypodontia?
- How is it caused?
- How is it diagnosed?
- How can it affect me?
- What are the treatment options?
What is hypodontia?
Hypodontia is a condition where one or more teeth are developmentally absent - this means they failed to ever form. It is not used to describe cases where the teeth have been physically removed.
Technically the term hypodontia is used where less than 6 teeth are missing. Oligodontia means there are 6 or more teeth missing. Anodontia means all the teeth are missing - this is very rare.
About 1 in 20 people (5%) have hypodontia.
How is it caused?
The simple answer is: we don't really know. There is a lot of research going into the causes of hypodontia but so far, we're in the dark.
We do know that hypodontia usually runs in families. But it isn't always passed on. So even if your mum or dad have hypodontia, it doesn't necessarily mean you will.
We also know hypodontia is commonly associated with some medical conditions such as cleft lip and palate, Down's syndrome and ectodermal dysplasia.
How is it diagnosed?
You might notice:
- Gaps between your teeth
- Small pointy teeth
In some cases of hypodontia, the lateral incisors may be "peg-shaped". - Retained baby teeth
If your dentist suspects you have hypodontia, they will take an xray of your teeth to confirm this.
How can it affect me?
Most people are mainly concerned with the appearance - this may be due to gaps where teeth are missing or because some teeth look small and pointy.
If multiple teeth are missing, this may affect your ability to eat and speak.
What are the treatment options?
Treatment depends on how many teeth are missing and how much space there is between the teeth.
There are usually two routes of treatment you can go down if you are missing teeth:
In both of the above scenarios, braces are needed to move the teeth into the desired positions. This part of the treatment is carried out by a specialist orthodontist.
If you have small pointy teeth, they can be reshaped by filing the pointy edge down and/or building them up with a tooth-coloured filling material.
Most of the above treatment can be completed by a general dentist. They may, however, refer you to a dental hospital for comprehensive treatment planning by a team of specialists. In some complex cases, the hospital will keep you on for treatment. For more simple treatments, they will advise your dentist on what treatment to carry out.
Not all people with hypodontia need treatment. If you're happy with the way your smile looks and you don't have any difficulty eating/speaking, there is no need to embark on any treatment at all.