Neonatal teeth
Other namesNatal teeth
SpecialtyDentistry

Natal teeth are teeth that are present above the gumline (have already erupted) at birth, and neonatal teeth are teeth that emerge through the gingiva during the first month of life (the neonatal period).[1][2]

The incidence of neonatal teeth varies considerably, between 1:700 and 1:30,000 depending on the type of study; the highest prevalence is found in the only study that relies on personal examination of patients.[3]

Natal teeth, and neonatal teeth, can be the baby's normal deciduous teeth, sprouting prematurely.[4] These should be preserved, if possible. Alternately, they could be supernumerary teeth, extra teeth, not part of the normal allotment of teeth.[5]

Signs and symptoms

Most often natal teeth are mandibular central incisors.[6] They have little root structure and are attached to the end of the gum by soft tissue and are often mobile.[7]

Causes

Most of the time, natal teeth are not related to a medical condition. However, sometimes they may be associated with:[7]

Treatment

No intervention is usually recommended unless they are causing difficulty to the infant or mother.[3]

However some recommend that they be removed as the tooth can cut or amputate the tip of the tongue.

They should be left in the mouth as long as possible to decrease the likelihood of removing permanent tooth buds with the natal tooth.[9] They should also not be removed if the infant has hypoprothrombinemia.[9] In case of complications when the natal teeth need to be removed, dental radiographs should be obtained whenever possible, and evaluated and followed up with pediatric dentists.[9]

Notable cases

References

  1. ^ Seminario, AL; Ivancaková, R (2004). "Natal and neonatal teeth". Acta Medica. 47 (4): 229–33. doi:10.14712/18059694.2018.96. PMID 15841901.
  2. ^ Akash Ardeshana, Seema Bargale, Anuradha Karri, Bhavna Dave (January–March 2016). "Dentitia Praecox - Natal Teeth: A Case Report and Review" (PDF). Journal of Applied Dental and Medical Sciences. Vol. 2, no. 1. Retrieved 2018-11-08. Exact etiology for this condition is unknown. Different factors like heredity, environmental toxicant, endocrine disturbances, and superficial position of tooth germ are associated with etiology((cite news)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b MASSLER, M; SAVARA, BS (March 1950). "Natal and neonatal teeth; a review of 24 cases reported in the literature". The Journal of Pediatrics. 36 (3): 349–59. doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(50)80105-1. PMID 15405415.
  4. ^ Vishal Khandelwal; Ullal Anand Nayak; Prathibha Anand Nayak; Yash Bafna (2013-06-02). "Management of an infant having natal teeth". BMJ Case Rep. 2013: bcr2013010049. doi:10.1136/bcr-2013-010049. PMC 3703024. PMID 23737593. If the erupted tooth is diagnosed as a tooth of the normal dentition, each of the other situations mentioned above should be considered. It also avoids future space management issues. The maintenance of these teeth in the mouth is the first treatment option, unless this would cause injury to the baby.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Alexander K.C. Leung, William Lane M. Robson (2006). "Natal Teeth: A Review". Journal of the National Medical Association. 98 (2): 226–8. PMC 2595049. PMID 16708508. Historical figures, such as Richard III, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Mirabeau, Mazarin, Cardinal Richelieu, Zoroaster and Hannibal, were described as examples of the former.
  6. ^ Kates, GA; Needleman, HL; Holmes, LB (September 1984). "Natal and neonatal teeth: a clinical study". Journal of the American Dental Association. 109 (3): 441–3. doi:10.14219/jada.archive.1984.0415. PMID 6592231.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Natal teeth". MedlinePlus : U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  8. ^ "Ellis-van Creveld syndrome". MedlinePlus : U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  9. ^ a b c Martinez, CR (March 1978). "Management of natal teeth". The Journal of Family Practice. 6 (3): 654–5. PMID 632777.
  10. ^ a b c d Berkovitz, Barry K.B (2012). Nothing but the Tooth: A Dental Odyssey. Newnes. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-12-397193-7. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  11. ^ Fallon, Kevin (April 28, 2015). "Kate Mulgrew Bares Her Teeth". The Daily Beast. Retrieved May 1, 2015.

External links

Classification
Oral and maxillofacial pathology
Categories