Peg Lateral Incisor Can Present Aesthetic Challenge Peg Lateral Incisors: Treatment and Positioning

Malformed or congenitally missing teeth are a problem often faced by both orthodontists and restorative dentists. Between 1% and 2% of the population will exhibit a shape modification of the maxillary lateral incisor commonly referred to as a peg lateral. The inheritance of the peg-shaped lateral incisors has been associated with the genotype that causes missing lateral incisors, and the shape modification is a modified manifestation of the hypodontia genotype. Peg lateral incisors may be unilateral or bilateral and may be associated with an opposite missing lateral. Classically, the peg lateral is characterized by a conical narrowing of the tooth in an incisal direction, resulting in a reduced mesiodistal width. The cervical dimensions of the affected tooth may range from normal to very narrow. The dimensions of the clinical crown in an incisal direction can be affected similarly, and often may result in a pointed appearance at the incisal edge. A peg lateral incisor can present an aesthetic challenge to the orthodontist when he/she is planning treatment for a case. It is important that the restorative dentist be a part of the team in this planning. Guidelines are presented to aid in the decision to extract or retain the tooth, and various options for the final restorative treatment of the case are discussed. Proper space creation and correct positioning of the retained tooth are crucial to the aesthetic success of the treatment.Practical Reviews in Orthodontics. If you do not have access to this presentation and would like to purchase a copy, please call 1-800-633-4743, email [email protected], or write Oakstone Medical Publishing, 100 Corporate Parkway, Suite 600, Birmingham, Alabama 35242.