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Radiographic examination of mesiodens and their associated complications

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Field of Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan

*Correspondence to: Jun-ichi Asaumi, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Field of Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama University, 2-5-1, Shikata-cho, Okayama 700-8525, Japan; Email: asaumi{at}md.okayama-u.ac.jp

Received 4 August 2003; revised 5 January 2004; accepted 12 March 2004

Objectives: To examine mesiodens with regard to their status, their influence on adjacent teeth and their alteration during the follow-up period.

Methods: From retrospective reviews of all patients who visited our institution from 1990–2001, we identified 200 patients (256 mesiodentes) who were shown to have mesiodentes on the basis of a periapical radiograph, a panoramic radiograph or an axial radiograph.

Results: The number of supernumerary teeth was one in 146 cases (73%), two in 52 cases (26%) and three in 2 cases (1%). Of 256 mesiodentes, the direction of the crown of the mesiodens was inverted in 172 (67%), in a normal direction in 69 (27%) and in a horizontal direction with regard to the tooth axis in 15 (6%). Of the 147 mesiodentes for which axial radiography was performed, 131 (89%) were located at a palatal site against the dental arch, 16 (11%) overlapped the dental arch and none were at a labial site. Of our 200 cases, a delay of eruption of the permanent central incisor was seen in 12 (6%), malposition or rotation of the central incisor in 5 (2.5%) and dentigerous cyst formation arising from mesiodens in 22 (11%). Marked movement of the mesiodens was seen in 10 cases during the follow-up period of 5–7 years. Some complication arising from mesiodens was seen in 19.5% of all cases in our research.

Conclusion: Although mesiodentes are not caused by malocclusion, they may cause it. A long period of impaction of mesiodentes may bring about dentigerous cyst formation or movement of the mesiodentes.

Keywords: dentigerous cyst; mesiodens; unerupted; complication

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