A case of abnormal supernumerary teeth in nasopalatine canal: a case report

Supernumerary teeth are a number anomaly that refers to excess teeth that do not belong to the normal dentition. It can occur anywhere in the upper and lower jaw, the most common location being the upper anterior teeth. Most of the supernumerary teeth are similar in shape to adjacent normal teeth. This report describes a case of multiple embedded supernumerary teeth in the anterior maxillary area. The patient was an 8-year-old male child. He had two supernumerary teeth located in the anterior maxillary area, one of which was conical and regular in shape; the other was located on the nasal floor, with the crown facing the nasopalatine canal, and the crown developed in the shape of the nasopalatine canal. We present a case in which the crown of a supernumerary tooth, developing within the nasopalatine canal, adapted to the canal’s tubular morphology. This distinctive anatomical presentation highlights the potential role of local environmental constraints in dental morphogenesis and, to our knowledge, represents a unique morphological variant. An 8-year-old male child visited author’s affiliation with a complaint of uncomfortable occlusion of the maxillary anterior teeth. Intraoral examination found that 11 and 21 palatal mucosa bulging, hard pressed texture, no tenderness, no swelling of mucosa. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) revealed two embedded supernumerary teeth. One of the supernumerary teeth is located on the palatal side of 11. The other supernumerary tooth is located in the nasopalatine canal, in a string-like shape, similar in shape to the nasopalatine canal, and the root is located at the nasal floor. The patient underwent surgery under general anesthesia and two supernumerary teeth were extracted. Post-treatment follow-up for 6 months showed no discomfort. The development of tooth shape may be influenced by local or systemic factors. In this report, a supernumerary tooth located on the nasal floor presented with its crown facing and remarkably adapting to the contour of the nasopalatine canal. This unique morphology provides a compelling clinical observation that supports the possibility of local environmental factors, such as anatomic constraints, playing a role in shaping dental crown development.