In
dentistry
Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions o ...
, overeruption is the physiological movement of a
tooth
A tooth ( : teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tear ...
lacking an opposing partner in the dental
occlusion
Occlusion may refer to:
Health and fitness
* Occlusion (dentistry), the manner in which the upper and lower teeth come together when the mouth is closed
* Occlusion miliaria, a skin condition
* Occlusive dressing, an air- and water-tight trauma ...
. Because of the lack of opposing
force
In physics, a force is an influence that can change the motion of an object. A force can cause an object with mass to change its velocity (e.g. moving from a state of rest), i.e., to accelerate. Force can also be described intuitively as a p ...
and the natural eruptive potential of the tooth there is a tendency for the tooth to erupt out of the line of the occlusion.
Etymology
The physiological movement of a
tooth
A tooth ( : teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tear ...
lacking an opposing partner in the dental
occlusion
Occlusion may refer to:
Health and fitness
* Occlusion (dentistry), the manner in which the upper and lower teeth come together when the mouth is closed
* Occlusion miliaria, a skin condition
* Occlusive dressing, an air- and water-tight trauma ...
is termed overeruption, hypereruption, supraeruption, supereruption or continuous eruption.
Pathophysiology
Because of the lack of opposing
force
In physics, a force is an influence that can change the motion of an object. A force can cause an object with mass to change its velocity (e.g. moving from a state of rest), i.e., to accelerate. Force can also be described intuitively as a p ...
and the natural eruptive potential of the tooth there is a tendency for the tooth to erupt out of the line of the occlusion.
Not all teeth lacking an opposing tooth overerupt, even in long term. Unopposed upper jaw molars overerupt more than the unopposed lower jaw molars. It is more severe in young people and
periodontically affected people.
The changes are most visible in the first year after the loss of the opposing tooth.
Treatment
A systematic review on the treatment need for back jaw spaces without any teeth found that overeruption was limited to 2 mm for most studies reviewed. The authors of the review also noted the low quality of evidence and concluded that tooth replacement is not recommended as the chief therapy.
Overeruption can cause interferences in the occlusion and difficulty when constructing
dentures
Dentures (also known as false teeth) are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth, and are supported by the surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Conventional dentures are removable (removable partial denture or ...
. The
alveolar bone
The alveolar process () or alveolar bone is the thickened ridge of bone that contains the tooth sockets on the jaw bones (in humans, the maxilla and the mandible). The structures are covered by gums as part of the oral cavity.
The synonymous ter ...
typically overgrows, but root surfaces can be exposed to the oral environment increasing likelihood of
dental caries
Tooth decay, also known as cavities or caries, is the breakdown of teeth due to acids produced by bacteria. The cavities may be a number of different colors from yellow to black. Symptoms may include pain and difficulty with eating. Complicatio ...
. Overerupted teeth are often sharp due to lack of tooth wear (
dental attrition) by adjacent teeth during chewing.
Overeruption is treated either by forcing the tooth back using
orthodontic
Orthodontics is a dentistry specialty that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, management, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, and misaligned bite patterns. It may also address the modification of facial growth, known as dentofacial ...
techniques, or by cutting the interfering part of the tooth and installing a
crown
A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...
.
See also
*
Dahl effect
References
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Acquired tooth pathology