MANAGEMENT OF INFRAOCCLUDED MANDIBULAR SECOND PRIMARY MOLARS: CASE REPORT

Kwak, So-Youn; Park, Ki-Tae; Kim, Ji-Yeon

Journal of the Korean Academy of Pediatric Dentistry 2009;36(3):475-480.
Published online August 31, 2009.

MANAGEMENT OF INFRAOCCLUDED MANDIBULAR SECOND PRIMARY MOLARS: CASE REPORT

So-Youn Kwak, Ki-Tae Park, Ji-Yeon Kim

Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine

저위교합된 제 2유구치에 대한 치험례

곽소연, 박기태, 김지연

성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 치과진료부 소아치과

Correspondence: Ji-Yeon Kim, Tel: 02-3410-2409, Email: jychaee@skku.edu

Received: 6 April 2009 • Accepted: 4 August 2009

Abstract

An infraoccluded tooth is a tooth that has failed to erupt to be in line with adjacent teeth in the vertical plane of occlusion. Multiple complications can occur as a result of an infraoccluded tooth. Tipping of neighboring teeth, loss of space opposing teeth elongation, increased susceptibility to dental caries and abnormal eruption path, impaction and rotation of permanent successor are the consequences of infraocclusion of primary molar. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment is the key to prevent the complications. Treatment options can be periodic follow-up, temporary restoration or extraction of the infraoccluded tooth depending on the presence of the successor, the extent of infraocclusion and the extent of tilting of the neighboring teeth. The infraoccluded primary molars with permanent successors present tend to exfoliate normally. However, failure to do periodic check up of the infraoccluded teeth may lead to serious complications. In these cases, surgical extractions are often necessary after space regaining and space maintainers should be placed until the eruption of the permanent successors are completed.

Key Words: Infraocclusion, Mandibular second primary molar, Extraction