Removal of unerupted teeth

Teeth that do not erupt to acceptable relationships with adjacent teeth or opposing teeth can be described as nonerupted, unerupted or partially erupted. When an individual presents for dental evaluation, it is incumbent on the oral health-care provider to determine the presence of a normal and full complement of 20 teeth in the child by approximately age five years, a varying number of teeth in the adolescent and young adult and a maximum of 32 teeth in the dental and skeletally mature adult, barring the presence of extra or supernumerary teeth which are relatively rare. The clinician must recognize that the absence of a normal complement of teeth may also be due to lack of tooth development. This occurs most often with third molars. There are, however, cases of hypodontia, oligodontia and anodontia where there are multiple teeth that do not develop. Any condition that results in fewer than the expected full complement of teeth visible in the oral cavity at any given age must be investigated to determine the reason and potential need for observation or partial or complete surgical removal. In general, it is accepted that a tooth that does not erupt into functional occlusion with absence of bacteriologic disease is pathology. This does not infer, however, that all unerupted teeth should be surgically or prophylactically removed.