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Are small teeth rare?

Published in Dental Anomalies 1 min read

Yes, generally speaking, having uniformly small teeth (generalized microdontia) is considered rare.

While the term "small teeth" can encompass various situations, including a single unusually small tooth, we're addressing the scenario where all or most teeth are smaller than average.

Here's a breakdown:

  • Localized Microdontia: It's more common to see localized microdontia, where just one or a few teeth are smaller than normal. A frequent example is the peg-shaped lateral incisor. This is not considered rare.

  • Generalized Microdontia: This is when all the teeth are smaller than normal. This condition is quite uncommon. As the provided reference indicates, it can be associated with conditions like pituitary dwarfism.

  • Relative Microdontia: Sometimes, teeth appear small relative to the size of the jaw. This isn't true microdontia (teeth are actually of normal size), but an issue of disproportion between tooth size and jaw size.

In conclusion, while having a small tooth is relatively common, having all teeth be significantly smaller than average is indeed a rare condition.

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