Can Adults Still Have Baby Teeth?

After 28 years, an English woman finally shed her last remaining baby teeth. Emily Cheeseman, from Tunbridge Wells in Kent was diagnosed with hypodontia. Hypodonia is a condition noted by adult teeth not developing in otherwise healthy people and can occur for several reasons including genetic, hormonal, environmental and infectious.

Ms. Cheeseman had to undergo extensive dental work to remove her baby teeth. Vanity was not her biggest concern regarding the smile she had; she was concerned about the future health and well-being of her mouth. The process was time consuming and involved several different dental treatments. After a dental examination, Cheeseman first had to undergo tooth extraction. After the teeth were removed, her gums were worked on to help prepare her mouth for permanent dental implants. Additionally, she had to undergo orthodontic treatment to get her teeth perfectly aligned in preparation of her new grin.

Most of us have experienced the natural rite of passage of losing a baby tooth, getting some change from the tooth fairy and then have a permanent tooth grow in the empty void. However, those diagnosed with hypodontia are the exception to the rules. Although the condition may seem harmless enough, medical research in the field is proving otherwise.

A study conducted by the University of Kentucky (Lexington) has found that the condition is linked to cases of ovarian cancer. The research results, published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (February, 2008) found that 20 in 100 ovarian cancer patients were afflicted with the disease.

If you never experienced the biological process of losing your baby teeth and growing your adult choppers, you should contact a dentist or your medical provider to discuss. While some cases of hypodontia are purely genetic, other cases might signify a larger health issue.