There are a lot of people who suffer from altered tooth size, these can be larger or smaller than normal. In this comprehensive post, we will tell you what is macrodontia, its characteristics and how to treat each of these anomalies.
People have teeth of different sizes and shapes, since these, in general, are proportional to the size of the jaw. But some individuals may develop larger or smaller teeth than normal. This is a disorder which can be treated and do not need you to be worried a lot about if you visit a good oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
For a specialist to diagnose that there is a true anomaly in the size of the teeth, there must be a disproportion between them and the maxilla. A good dentist will conduct a few tests to establish if there is a pathology that needs to be addressed and will let you know that your child would need it.
About the macrodontia
The macrodontia is also known as megadontia. This anomaly, like the microdontia, is hereditary. It consists of the teeth having a size larger than normal.
Types
This anomaly can be divided into two main types:
- Partial: When there are insulated dental teeth that are larger than the others. And it has deformities in the crown. The teeth that usually present this anomaly are the canines, the incisors and the third molars. Partial macrodontia is increasingly common in children and sometimes the cause is not well known. But it is usually corrected with orthodontics and tooth carving.
- Total: Total macrodontia or macrodontism is an anomaly that occurs when all teeth are larger than usual. It is related to disorders such as gigantism and hemihypertrophy.
Possible solutions
In addition to affecting the aesthetics of your mouth, macrodontia also causes crowding. This due to the disproportionate size of the teeth. If this is not corrected in time it can generate other consequences such as tooth wear due to the rubbing of the pieces.
For this reason, it is always necessary to resort to an orthodontic treatment in conjunction with some of the following options to correct the size:
- Stripping or selective carving: It is a polishing and carving technique that focuses on reducing the crown width of certain teeth. This way they can have the appropriate space between them.
- Dental crown: Sometimes after carving a crown is designed to improve the appearance of the tooth with respect and so that it does not clash with others.
