Hyperdontia
Pronunciation: hy-per-DON-tee-uh
The development of one or more supernumerary teeth beyond the normal dental complement of 20 primary or 32 permanent teeth.
Full Definition
Hyperdontia refers to the presence of extra teeth, known individually as supernumerary teeth or mesiodens (when located in the midline anterior maxilla), which exceed the expected dentition count. It may be an isolated finding or associated with syndromes such as cleidocranial dysplasia or Gardner syndrome. In oral medicine texts, editors must distinguish 'hyperdontia' from 'hyperodontia', the latter being an accepted but less frequently used variant spelling; house style should select one form and apply it consistently. The condition is the antonym of hypodontia and oligodontia. Supernumerary teeth are subcategorised by morphology (conical, tuberculate, supplemental, odontome-type) and position.
Usage
Usage note: Prefer 'hyperdontia' over 'hyperodontia' unless the journal's house style specifies otherwise. Do not confuse with 'hypodontia', which is the opposite condition.
In Context
- "Hyperdontia was identified incidentally on the panoramic radiograph, with a conical mesiodens present between the upper central incisors." — Radiographic report
- "The house style guide requires 'hyperdontia' rather than 'hyperodontia'; flag any instances of the variant spelling for normalisation." — Style guide note