Volume 70 Number 1

Radiology forum 127

BILATERAL INVERTED SUPERNUMERARY TEETH

A 6-year-old boy was noted on radiography to have two impacted supernumerary teeth (Fig. 1). These teeth were asymptomatic. Clinically, a slight palatal swelling was noted behind the central inci- sors. Repeat radiography from several angles demon- strated the supernumerary teeth to be inverted. They were surgically extracted without complication.

Douglas D. Carver, DDS Sharon S. Peterson, DDS

Bailey Lee, DDS 12121 Richmond, Suite 316

Houston, TX 77082

INVERSE TOOTH ERUPTION

Fig. 1.

I nversion is a term used to denote the malposition of a tooth in which the tooth has reversed and is positioned upside down. Inversion is encountered in third permanent molars and supernumerary teeth; it is observed most frequently with the mesiodens.

CASE REPORT

A 32-year-old male patient was admitted to Anka- ra University Faculty of Dentistry for brown macules on the gingiva. Oral examination showed these macules to be melanin pigmentation. Apparent cari- ous destruction of the crown of a maxillary left second premolar was observed and a radiographic

examination performed. The visible “carious” part of the tooth observed projecting into the oral cavity was actually the root of the maxillary left second premo- lar tooth (Figs. 1 and 2). This was a very surprising finding because a mature and erupted inversion phenomenon has apparently not been reported in the medical literature previously.

M. Nejat Arpak, DDS Department of Periodontology

Faculty of Dentistry Ankara University

Besevler-Ankara Turkey

Fig. 1. Fig. 2.