Alex Carson
Ravindranath
A boy named Ravindranth had been complaining of pain in his teeth for a while. In most cases, a toothache in children isn’t anything to be too concerned with. A visit to the dentist and filling the cavity that is causing the pain is often all the child needs. For Rav, it was different.
Early Problems
When Rav was born, his parents say that his jaw was somewhat swollen. They say that over time, the swelling went down, and they believed that everything was fine. When Rav was four-years-old, she started complaining about pain in his mouth. The boy’s pain seemed to be getting worse and worse, so Rav’s parents decided to take him to the dentist.
The Dentist
Rav’s parents took him to the dentist, and the first thing that they did was x-ray the boy’s mouth. They believed that they would be able to see what it was that was causing the boy’s pain. In order for a person’s teeth to remain healthy and pain-free, regular visits to the dentist are necessary. Having the teeth cleaned every six months is essential. Most dentists suggest that regular cleanings begin between the ages of three and four-years-old. Because Rav was four-years-old when he started having the pain, it wasn’t unusual that he hadn’t seen the dentist yet.
Hyperdontia
Based on Rav’s x-rays, the dentist diagnosed him with hyperdontia. This is a condition that affects over 200,000 people in the United States each year. The problem is most common in people between the ages of 14 and 60; however, young children can also be susceptible. This is a condition that causes too many teeth to grow in your mouth. The extra teeth are known as supernumerary teeth. They tend to grow anywhere in the curved areas where teeth attach to the jaw. The area is also known as dental arches. Most people have 20 baby teeth, also known as primary teeth. When these teeth fall out, they are replaced by 32 adult teeth or primary teeth. When a person has hyperdontia, it can either cause additional primary or permanent teeth.
Symptoms Of Hyperdontia
The symptoms of this condition are pressure and swelling in the gums because there are too many teeth in the mouth. Overcrowding is another symptom. Your mouth is only designed to hold the 32 primary teeth. When there are too many, the teeth become overcrowded and appear crooked. In some cases, the individual may need to have the extra teeth removed to relieve the pain and pressure. This will also reduce the chance of gum disease.
Rav’s Surgery
Rav’s dentist knew what was causing his issues, and they let his parents know that he needed surgery. A boy kept complaining of jaw ache, but dentists were gobsmacked when he opened his mouth. They couldn’t believe the number of teeth the little boy had hidden in his gums. Rav’s dentists discovered a small sac in his gums, and they had to empty the contents. They assumed that it would mostly be blood, puss, and a few teeth. They were shocked when it took them over five hours to clean the teeth from the growth. While removing them, the dentists lost count but kept each of the teeth. When they were done, they counted 526 teeth that were removed from Rav’s mouth.
According to the doctors, the teeth varied in size from 0.1 mm to 15 mm. They said that the teeth looked like pearls in an oyster, and each one had a crown, a root, and enamel coating. Rav’s condition was shocking to the dentists on the case, and he wasn’t the only one. Another boy suffered the same condition, but his wasn’t quite as severe.
Ashik Gavai
Ashik was 17-years-old, and for the past year and a half, he had been struggling with a swollen jaw. He was also experiencing pain. When the doctors in his community couldn’t figure out what was going on, his father, Suresh, took matters into his own hands. At first, they thought that his condition was caused by cancer. After an x-ray, he was diagnosed with complex composite odontoma. This occurs when a single gum forms lots of teeth. When the doctors opened up his gums, they noticed that small teeth were coming out one by one. They were collecting them and say that they looked like small, white pearls. It took seven hours for the surgery, and four people oversaw it. In total, they counted 232 teeth.
The doctors discovered when they opened up his gums that he was actually hyperdontia that he had, similar to what Rav had. In Ashik’s case, however, a tumor was located in his lower jaw that contained hundreds of teeth. It was shocking for all involved in the surgery.
