Dens evaginatus and dens invaginatus in a single tooth

Abstract

Dens evaginatus (DE) and dens invaginatus (DI) are raredevelopmental dental anomalies affecting both the primary andpermanent dentitions. DE predominantly occurs in people of Asiandescent with varying estimates reported at 0.5% to 4.3%. Con-versely, the prevalence of DI varies between 0.5% and 10%.Concurrence of DE and DI within the same tooth is an extremelyrare finding and entails the clinician’s attention in terms ofdetection and management. We report a case of DE and DI in amaxillary right lateral incisor tooth of a ten year old Chinese boy.The tooth exhibited well defined developmental grooves with anevagination (DE) or talon cusp (type I according to Hattab’sclassification, 1996), the radiographic examination of the sametooth revealed a DI (type II according to Oehlers classification,1957) apical to the DE. Comprehensive clinical and radiographicexaminations are essential to identify such defects as they encom-pass a higher chance of causing pulpal complications due to theclose proximity of the pulp to the oral environment. Earlydiagnosis can result in the appropriate prophylactic treatmentbeing performed, consequently preventing undesirable pulpalcomplications.