Double Teeth in Children

Have you seen any double teeth in your little one's mouth?  A little girl once told me that she had a pair of  'twins tooth' in her mouth and her mummy was worried that it will affect her adult teeth. The understanding of the effect of double teeth in children is important to ensure healthy and well-aligned adult teeth.

The prevalence of double teeth in children was 0.6 % (based on a recent study published in The European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry), so it is not all that unusual. Double teeth could be due to either fusion or germination. Fusion is the union of two normally separated tooth germs, and germination is a process where developing tooth splits into two separate teeth.

Children with double teeth should be evaluated by a dentist to determine whether there are associated with anomalies of adult teeth (either missing or extra teeth) and in some situations; these double teeth are more susceptible to dental decay.

Reference:

Primary double teeth and their effect on permanent successors.Zengin AZ1, Celenk P1, Gunduz K1, Canger M1 Eur J Paediatr Dent.2014 Sep;15(3):309-12 

Written by: Dr Debbie Hong