Maxfacts

It may be tempting to expect this section to cover in detail the options to remedy the loss of teeth from trauma, periodontal disease or tooth decay. However, treatment to deal with loss of teeth will not be covered here (or elsewhere on our website) – these are themes that firmly belong, and are dealt with, in the field of dentistry rather than oral & maxillofacial surgery.

Here we briefly sketch treatment options for missing permanent teeth from developmental abnormalities. Missing primary (baby) teeth do not require any treatment.

Anodontia, the rare congenital complete absence of teeth, will most likely require some form of prosthetics (such as dentures or implants, for functional as well as aesthetic reasons.

Hypodontia, the congenital absence of one or some teeth without further systemic conditions, may either require no treatment or some corrective interventions or prosthetics, depending on the individual situation.

• The most commonly missing third molar - no treatment required.
• Missing second premolar or lateral incisor – treatment depends on the degree of crowding in the jaw, on functionality and misalignment (malocclusion) and aesthetic requirements. A small gap caused by the missing tooth may be dealt with by orthodontic correction aiming to simply close the gap. Alternatively, orthodontics may aim to increase the gap such that later placement of a crown or bridge (implant supported, or otherwise) will become possible.

Treatment options for hypodontia associated with craniofacial syndromes from genetic disorders such as Crouzon syndrome are secondary to any corrective surgical interventions addressing anatomical problems arising from the genetic disorder.