Accidental displacement of primary anterior teeth following extraction of neonatal teeth

Abstract

Eruption of the first tooth at 6 months of age is a significant stage in a child's life. However, the presence of a tooth in the oral cavity of a newborn can lead to a lot of delusions. Natal and neonatal teeth are of utmost importance not only to a dentist but also for a pediatrician due to parental anxiety, folklore superstitions, and numerous complications associated with it. The present case report describes a 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm, slow-growing, soft-tissue gingival mass which developed following the extraction of a tooth-like structure in a 4-month-old male patient. Histological examination revealed that it contained a tooth-like hard tissue intermingled with bone and fibrous tissue. Based on clinical and histological findings, the present case was diagnosed as gingival hyperplasia with displaced tooth buds of 71 and 81, which might be due to chronic irritation or traumatic extraction of the neonatal teeth. No abnormal recurrence of the lesion was detected during the follow-up period. However, postoperative clinical and radiographic photographs further reconfirmed the absence of tooth in relation to 71 and 81.

Keywords: Gingival hyperplasia; neonatal teeth; odontoblasts.