A Combined Case of Neonatal Teeth, Bohn’s Nodules and Eruption Haematoma in an Infant Presenting as a Diagnostic Dilemma

Abstract

Abnormalities in the oral cavity of infants are not uncommon, but most are innocuous and resolve with age in the absence of treatment. Some of the most prevalent oral findings are oral inclusion cysts, vascular lesions, natal and neonatal teeth. The American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recognises that perinatal and infant oral health are the basics upon which preventive education and dental care must be built to enhance the opportunity for a child to have a lifetime free from preventable oral disease This report describes the clinical presentation, diagnosis and suggestive management for a 32-day-old male child patient reported with neonatal teeth, Bohn’s nodules and further at the age of 18 months, with eruption haematoma in the maxillary alveolar region. “Bohn’s nodules” are keratin-filled cysts with prevalence of 47.4% with no gender predilection. Natal and neonatal teeth considered as critically important conditions as their presence can lead to numerous complications such as ulceration on the ventral surface of the tongue caused by the sharp incisal edge of the tooth and condition known as Riga-Fede disease or syndrome. “Eruption haematoma” is circumcoronal cystic cavity which contains blood usually associated with an erupting primary or permanent tooth which is in its soft tissue eruption phase. Therefore, a thorough clinical examination and knowledge of the various lesions is essential for precise diagnosis, management, as well as parental counselling.

Keywords

• dental abnormalities
• intraoral
• newborns
• oral lesions