Actually supernumerary teeth are fairly common. A few of us, not so
common, have a complete full third set of teeth (2nd adult)! It sounds
like it could be convenient, and it would be if they could come through
with any ease, but that usually is far from the case. The old teeth try
to stay in place, and put out new roots, down around the new teeth. It
turns into a tangled mess. Then the old tooth starts to rot....
Choices are to have all the old teeth pulled before they become
entangled with the new, and go toothless (dentures would damage the
emerging teeth) for a year or two letting the new teeth come in; have
the old ones pulled a few at a time to let the new ones have a chance of
coming through - assuming their roots and nerves haven't been too
severely damaged by the surgical removal of the old tooth; of have the
whole kaboodle, old and new removed, and replaced with dentures. So
far I'm doing the second choice above. My grandmother had the same
condition, and it wasn't recognized, led to sepsis that killed her. So
its an interesting scenario. The dentist who first confirmed that I
have this was an older Russian guy, who said that it was a fairly common
condition among Russian peasant folk, particularly women. No, there are
no (known) russian genetics in my family history - all Germanic. At any
rate, the Russian dentist said that I was the first one he had seen or
heard of in this country, with the whole second set. Since then, via
the internet, I've heard of others. But it does happen. Sara
//// <http://supernumeraryteeth.com/>
Well Edith -- you and Dan amaze me. I've never heard of five wisdom
teeth in one person -- and here we have two such persons on the list!!
Will wonders never cease!!
MA
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