The last time you brushed your baby’s teeth did you notice that he/she is missing a tooth? Or that they have one abnormally large baby tooth rather than two? This could be one of two rare conditions known as tooth fusion or gemination. These two conditions are different, but have some similarities and only about 2 percent of Caucasian children and 5 percent of Asian children will ever experience it. Smile Reef is here to talk about these two conditions and what can be done about them.
What is Fusion of Teeth?
When your babies teeth start to come in, it’s exciting. However, when they don’t come in as expected, it can be alarming. If you have noticed that your child has got a rather large baby tooth rather than two teeth, it could be tooth fusion happening. When two tooth buds fuse together and one large crown emerges, this is tooth fusion. If you look in an x-ray, there will likely be two pulp chambers as well as root canals. This will result in less teeth than expected when your dentist does a tooth count. However, sometimes a tooth fusion causes an extra tooth to grow which would result in a normal tooth count.
What is Tooth Gemination?
If your child has tooth gemination, there is most likely the right number of teeth in their mouth during a tooth count. On an x-ray though, you would see that a tooth bud has tried to divide into two teeth. This would result in one pulp canal, but two pulp chambers. This is most common in primary teeth as well as tooth fusion. When you see that your child has an abnormally wide tooth, you should consult with a dentist to discuss further treatment.
Treatment of Gemination & Fusion Teeth
Sometimes, these primary teeth that are abnormally large have a difficult time falling out on their own. This is why the tooth should be monitored closely by the parents as well as the child’s dentist. Sometimes, germinated teeth are more susceptible to getting cavities because the crowns are so close together. Just another reason for close monitoring. Aside from monitoring, there isn’t much that can be done to treat tooth fusion or gemination. The good thing to note, is that just because a child is experiencing this condition with their primary teeth, doesn’t mean that they will have this same problem as their adult teeth start to grow in. If there is a problem when the adult teeth start to emerge, orthodontics can usually fix the problem and help them achieve their oral health goals.
Pediatric Dentistry
If you have noticed that something doesn’t look quite right with your child’s teeth, you should never hesitate to call on the professionals at Smile Reef. With our expertise in pediatric dentistry, we are your leading choice in the industry. Call us today to schedule your child’s annual checkup.
