Developmental anomalies: teeth, jaws, oral soft tissues
Oral Pathology and Oral Microbiology · Dental (BDS)
Tooth explorer
Interactive 3DPeel through enamel, dentin and pulp — then switch to implants, braces or dentures.
Controls
Drag the sliders or type a value — the simulation updates live.
%
0%1%
Study notes
A child has a small peg-shaped upper lateral incisor. What anomaly is this and why does it matter? This is a shape anomaly — a peg lateral (microdontia of the lateral incisor). It matters because the small tooth leaves a gap and disrupts the bite's appearance and function; also, peg laterals often signal that the opposite or nearby teeth may be missing or unusual, so the dentist examines the full dentition and plans accordingly as the child grows.
Related topics
- Dental caries: etiology, classification, histopathology
- Diseases of pulp and periapical tissues
- Periodontal disease: gingivitis, periodontitis pathology
- Oral mucosal lesions: traumatic, infective, immune-mediated
- Potentially malignant disorders: leukoplakia, erythroplakia, OSMF, lichen planus
- Oral squamous cell carcinoma: pathology, staging, spread