Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Taurodontism, diminished root formation, and microcephalic dwarfism

1973; Elsevier BV; Volume: 36; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0030-4220(73)90243-0

1878-2175

John J. Sauk, J. R. Delaney,

dental development and anomalies

S ir Arthur Keith’ coined the term taurodontism to describe a variation in form of multirooted teeth in which the body of the tooth was enlarged and the roots were reduced in size. Keith encountered this trait in remains of Neanderthal man and noted the contrast from cynodont teeth of modern Caucasian man. Cynodont teeth have relatively small pulp chambers, they are set low in the crown with a constriction in outline form of the chambers at about the cementoenamel junction, and the distance from the bifurcation or trifurcation of the roots to the cementoenamel junction is less than the occlusocervical distance. In contrast, taurodont teeth have pulp chambers in which the bifurcation or trifurcation is displaced apically, so that the chamber has a greater apico-occlusal height than in eynodont teeth and there is no constriction at the level of the cementoenamel junction. The distance from the bifurcation or trifurcation of the roots to the cementoenamel junction is greater than the occlusocervical distance.2s 3 In contrast, diminished root formation, a rare condition, may be seen in the third molar region and mandibular premolar area as a variation from the norm.4 It may be the central feature of dentinal dysplasia.,” or it may be the result of idiopathic hypoparathyroidism6 or exposure to x-radiation during periods of odontogenesis.i-14 Diminished roots have been noted in thalassemia,15 and they have been reported in the maxillary anterior region as a frequent occurrence in the Japanese.lg Following is a case with the features of taurodontism in the posterior dentition, diminished anterior root formation, and microcephaly with somatic dwarfism.