Natal Tooth: A Histomorphologic Variant, a Rarity

Abstract

Presence of natal or neonatal teeth in a newborn is rare, that is, 1 in 3,000 cases. Various etiological factors have been put forth explaining the presence of natal teeth but they are not very clear. Although some authors have suggested that these teeth may represent predeciduous supernumerary teeth, most of these teeth represent prematurely erupted portions of the deciduous dentition, not supernumerary teeth. They can be left untreated in some cases if they do not cause any difficulty to the mother while feeding or do not pose a risk of swallowing in the newborn. One such case of natal tooth with histological variation is presented here.

Keywords

• natal teeth
• mandibular incisors
• keratin
• hard tissue