A family case report: disturbances in tooth form and eruption of the second premolar

This report describes a family who demonstrated anomalies of tooth form and eruption of the lower second premolar. Observation of the second premolars remaining in the mother's and father's dentitions included ectopic eruption with impaction and substantial spacing between the first and second premolars. Four siblings were also examined--three boys aged 15, 14 and 12 years, and one girl aged 11 years. Anomalies of the second premolar recorded in the males and female include: congenital absence, ectopic eruption with impaction, delayed eruption and spacing. Associated anomalies included: congenital absence of other permanent teeth and spacing. It appears that the defect in tooth form and eruption is of a genetic origin, affecting both males and females. The condition(s) did not appear to be associated with a syndrome and the human papilloma virus lesions noted in all family members were not considered to be related to the dental defects. This family demonstrated two anomalies of the lower second premolar: congenital absence and disturbance in tooth eruption. The question raised by this case report is whether these two anomalies are inherited as separate traits or whether failure of tooth eruption is a variation in expression of the same genetic factor that results in oligodontia.