Mesiodens in the primary dentition--a case report.

Supernumerary teeth are among the most significant dental anomalies affecting the primary and the permanent dentitions. Mesiodens is a supernumerary tooth with a cone shaped crown and a short root. Though it occurs frequently in the permanent dentition, it is extremely rare in the primary dentition. The exact etiology is still obscure and not well understood. Supernumerary teeth occur as isolated dental findings or as part of a syndrome. The frequency with which supernumerary teeth occur and the effects they have on development of normal occlusion justify the radiographic examination of preschool children. Early removal of such teeth is recommended if they impede the eruption of adjacent permanent teeth, appear inverted or rudimentary, associated with certain pathologic conditions or are symptomatic.