After 28 years, an English woman finally lost her last remaining baby teeth. Emily Cheeseman, from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, was diagnosed with hypodontia. Hypodonia is a condition seen when permanent teeth fail to develop in healthy people and can occur for a number of reasons, including genetic, hormonal, environmental, and infectious.
Ms. Cheeseman had to undergo extensive dental work to remove her baby teeth. Her vanity wasn’t her biggest concern regarding the smile she had; she was concerned for the future health and well-being of her mouth. The process took a long time and involved several different dental treatments. After a dental exam, Cheeseman first had to undergo a tooth extraction. After extracting her teeth, she had work done on her gums to help prepare her mouth for permanent dental implants. Additionally, she had to undergo orthodontic treatment to perfectly align her teeth in preparation for her new smile.
Most of us have experienced the natural rite of passage of losing a baby tooth, getting some change from the tooth fairy, and then growing a permanent tooth in a vacuum. 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 results of the research, published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (February 2008) found that 20 out of 100 ovarian cancer patients had the disease.
If you have never experienced the biological process of losing your baby teeth and growing your adult teeth, you should contact a dentist or your medical provider to discuss it. While some cases of hypodontia are purely genetic, other cases can signify a larger health problem.