Elemental Analysis of Natal Teeth in a Monoidentical Twin using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy- A Case Report

Abstract

Dental eruption is a normal physiological process that begins with eruption of primary lower central incisors when a child is six- month-old. Natal teeth are teeth present at birth while neonatal teeth are teeth that erupt within the first month of life. Primary teeth erupting prematurely are referred to as congenital teeth, predeciduous teeth, foetal teeth, and dentitia praecox. The exact aetiology is not known. Natal teeth are three times more common than neonatal teeth. However, natal or neonatal teeth is quite rare with incidence of 1:1000 to 1:30,000 which usually erupts during birth or within one month. This case reports a 24-day-old male neonate with two teeth in the mandibular alveolar region. Since one of the teeth were immature and hypermobile, it was planned for removal fearing aspiration. The extracted natal tooth was quantitatively and qualitatively assessed for the elements present in it by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) at the level of middle third, both on the internal and external surfaces. Carbon and oxygen were predominantly present in natal teeth when compared to permanent teeth, which mainly composed of calcium and phosphorus. The natal tooth caused mild problem in feeding, as it was mobile. So, it was extracted to avoid aspiration. The aim of this case report is to discuss a rare case of occurrence of two natal teeth in one of the premature monoidentical twins (male babies) and also to analyse the elemental components present in the natal tooth using SEM and EDX.