Regional odontodysplasia: Long-term observation of a case on the mandibular left side

Regional odontodysplasia is an unusual non-hereditary developmental anomaly of tooth structures in both primary and permanent dentitions. The appropriate treatment differs for each individual's clinical findings. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical findings and the long-term progress as to the treatment and the management of a male patient who was diagnosed with regional odontodysplasia on the left side of the mandible. The mandibular left primary molars had shown a remarkable “ghost-like” appearance on x-ray, but they had already been extracted by an oral surgeon because of osteomyelitis due to pulpal infection, when the patient was referred to our pediatric dental clinic at 5 years of age. According to x-ray findings, the five permanent teeth (32, 33, 34, 35, 36) on the mandibular left side were delayed in formation. During the 15 years from age 5 to age 20, the patient was treated and managed in our clinic and the prosthodontic clinic of our hospital. Because the patient lost his mandibular left primary teeth early but presented delayed eruption of succedaneous permanent teeth, the patient used a temporary removable space maintainer for a long time. Although the affected first molar was extracted, the second premolar erupted and the other three unerupted teeth were not removed. The edentulous region was rehabilitated with a removable partial acrylic prosthesis when the patient was 19 years and 4 months. It was found that a multidisciplinary approach was essential for the long-term follow-up of typical regional odontodysplasia.