A Review of 80 Supernumerary Teeth Removed Under General Anaesthesia

Abstract

A retrospective study was carried out to review the records of 47 patients who had had in total 80 supernumerary teeth (ST) removed under general anaesthesia between 1975 and 2002. Malays made up 38.30%, Chinese 51.06%, and Indians 10.64% of the patients. The predominant age group was 6-10 year-old. The mean age was 12.96 ? 9.49 years. The male and female ratio was 1.35:1. Most of the patients had either one ST (n=31; 65.96%) or two ST (n=11; 23.40%). Five cases of multiple supernumeraries were recorded. Two patients experienced late formation of subsequent ST after the first surgery, thus requiring a second surgery. The majority of ST were conical in shape (n=35; 43.75%). Most of the ST were located in the premaxilla (n=55; 68.8%). Almost a quarter (23.75%) of ST were inclined towards the oral cavity. Some of the effects on the dentition were diastema, cystic changes, rotation, displacement, and retention of the permanent teeth and these were the indications for removal of ST. The most common surgical approach for maxillary ST was from the labial, buccal or labio-buccal approach.