Apparent hypodontia: a case of misdiagnosis

The case of a 12-year-old girl is reported, whose pretreatment radiograph demonstrated agenesis of two premolars and a canine and slow development of the contralateral premolars. A follow-up radiograph taken 1 year later showed initial mineralization of a tooth germ in the site of one of the apparently missing premolars. The cause, diagnosis, and treatment planning implications of delayed mineralization and slow development of second premolars are discussed with reference to the literature.