What are extra teeth?
Most adults have 32 teeth including wisdom teeth, and children have 20 milk teeth. A tooth beyond that normal set is a supernumerary tooth. The condition is called hyperdontia. The cause is not fully understood. It sometimes runs in families, and it is more common in a few rare genetic conditions, but most people with an extra tooth have no other problem.
The commonest kind is a mesiodens, a small, often cone-shaped tooth that grows between the two upper front teeth. Others sit behind the upper molars or beside the premolars. Some erupt into the mouth, and many stay hidden in the bone and are found only on an X-ray.
Wisdom teeth are not extra teeth. They are the normal third molars, and they are the teeth most often stuck in the jaw. Our page on wisdom tooth pain covers them. Extra teeth are different, and also not the same as a milk tooth that has not fallen out, which our guide on adult milk teeth explains.
Problems extra teeth can cause
An extra tooth can crowd or push neighbours out of line, leave a gap between the front teeth, or stop a normal adult tooth from coming through. A missing or late upper front tooth in a child is often a reason for an X-ray. A buried extra tooth can also form a cyst around it, though this is less common.
Many cause none of these. They are found by chance on a routine X-ray and are simply watched. Cleaning is harder when teeth are crowded, so gum disease and decay are more likely around them.
When extra teeth are removed and when they are left
A dentist weighs what the tooth is doing against the risk of removing it. Removal is usual when the tooth blocks an adult tooth, crowds the bite, is forming a cyst, or interferes with braces. In children, a mesiodens is often removed early, once it can be done safely, so the front teeth can come in on their own.
A buried tooth that is causing no problem and sits close to important structures is often left and monitored with periodic X-rays. Our guide on impacted teeth explains why teeth stay buried, and the tooth extraction procedure guide describes how removal is done, including surgical removal of a buried tooth.
Diagnosis uses X-rays, such as an OPG, and sometimes a 3D scan to see exactly where the tooth sits. Treatment after extraction depends on what the tooth was blocking, and braces may be needed afterwards.
| Type | Where it grows | Usual approach |
|---|---|---|
| Mesiodens | Between the two upper front teeth. | Often removed in childhood if it blocks or delays the front teeth. |
| Supplemental tooth | Looks like a normal tooth, beside one. | Removed if it crowds, otherwise watched. |
| Buried extra tooth | Hidden in the jaw bone. | Watched on X-rays unless it causes a problem. |
General guide to common types of extra tooth. A dentist decides after an X-ray.
Common questions
Are extra teeth dangerous?
Not usually. Most are harmless and found by chance. They can cause crowding, block a normal tooth or form a cyst, which is why a dentist checks them on X-ray. Pain, swelling or a missing adult tooth is a reason to be seen.
Why do I have an extra tooth?
The cause is not fully understood. It can run in families and is linked to a few rare conditions, but most people who have one are healthy. It is not caused by anything you did.
Does removing an extra tooth hurt?
It is done under anaesthetic, so you should not feel pain during it. Some soreness and swelling afterwards is normal and settles over a few days. Buried teeth may need minor surgery, which a dentist or oral surgeon plans.
Can extra teeth grow back after removal?
A removed tooth does not grow back, though a few people form more than one extra tooth over time. If a child has had one removed, the dentist may keep checking with X-rays.
About this page
This page is general information, not a diagnosis or a quotation. Prices are prevailing Lucknow market ranges. Your own treatment and cost are determined after an examination. For questions about your own case, call +91 83036 12717.