Types
Supernumerary teeth can be classified by shape and by position. The shapes include the following:

Supplemental (where the tooth has a normal shape for the teeth in that series);
Tuberculate (also called barrel shaped);
Conical (also called peg shaped);
Compound odontoma (multiple small tooth-like forms);
Complex odontoma (a disorganized mass of dental tissue)When classified by position, a supernumerary tooth may be referred to as a mesiodens, a paramolar, or a distomolar. Occasionally, these teeth do not erupt into the oral cavity but manifest as a malocclusion.The most common supernumerary tooth is a mesiodens, which is a malformed, peg-like tooth that occurs between the maxillary central incisors. Fourth and fifth molars that form behind the third molars are another kind of supernumerary teeth. Treatment
Although these teeth are usually asymptomatic and pose no threat to the individual, they are often extracted for aesthetic reasons, to allow the eruption of other teeth, orthodontic reasons and/or suspected pathology. This is done particularly if the mesiodens is positioned in the maxillary central incisor region. The traditional method of removal is done by using bone chisels, although a more advanced technique has been found to be more beneficial, especially if surgery is required. Through the use of piezoelectricity, piezoelectric ultrasonic bone surgery may be more time-consuming than the traditional method but it seems to reduce the post-operative bleeding and associated complications quite significantly. Epidemiology
It is evident that hyperdontia is more common in the permanent dentition than in the primary.
There is a considerable difference between males and females in the prevalence of these teeth in permanent dentition; hyperdontia is twice as common in males as in females. However, this approximation varies in terms of location, other associating syndromes that may be present, and the ethnicity of the individual. In terms of ethnicity, it can be seen that hyperdontia is in fact less common in European than in Asian populations. There is evidence to show that an individual is more likely to have hyperdontia if other members of their family also have the condition. References


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