ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The study aims to provide a comprehensive case analysis from a single center, with the objective of clarifying the optimal timing and recommending a preferred treatment strategy customized to the specific presentation of each type of supernumerary tooth (SNT) identified in our research. METHODS AND MATERIAL: A retrospective study was conducted on patients who presented with SNT and were treated through an interdisciplinary at the clinic. RESULTS: 55 patients with 81 SNT of the permanent dentition were analyzed. They included 30 males and 25 females. The dentition status of the patients was as follows: 31 patients with mixed dentition, 0 patients with deciduous dentition, and 24 patients with permanent dentition. The diagnosis of SNT diagnosis was primarily made by general or pediatric dentists and/or orthodontists. Patients were then referred to maxillofacial surgeons for treatment decision. The timing of treatment was mainly determined by the oral surgeon, based on the recommendations of the other specialists involved. Cases involving mal-eruption or malalignment of permanent teeth required both surgical and orthodontic treatment. Patients over 9 years old were treated either under local anesthesia or sedation, while those under 9 years old were treated under deep sedation or general anesthesia A comprehensive investigation of cases involved the utilization of cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) at the SNT site to facilitate treatment planning. There was a significant correlation between younger age and the preference for treatment under sedation or general anesthesia (p=0.01, t-test). Similarly, a strong association was found between younger age and the need for additional orthodontic treatment (p=0.016, t-test). Cases of surgical removal of SNT at a young age typically did not require orthodontic traction of the permanent tooth, in contrast to cases of late surgical intervention (patients over 11 years old), which often did necessitate such traction. There was a strong tendency for treating supernumerary teeth (SNT) in the maxilla. The proximity of SNTs to vital anatomical landmarks significantly influenced treatment decisions. Patients with SNTs near the mental foramen or the inferior dental canal in the premolar area were exclusively placed under follow-up care (p=0.002, Pearson's chi-square test). However, in the maxilla, the proximity of SNTs to vital structures such as the floor of the nose and the incisive nerve did not affect the treatment approach, and those supernumerary teeth were mostly removed. CONCLUSIONS: A team approach for managing supernumerary teeth (SNT) is recommended. The timing of treatment should carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of early versus late intervention. Early surgical treatment in cases where eruption is disturbed might result in spontaneous eruption, eliminating the need for orthodontic traction of the permanent teeth.
