Double primary teeth and their relationship with the permanent successors: a radiographic study of 376 cases.

Abstract

Double primary teeth were observed in 367 children and their relationship with the permanent successors was studied with the aid of radiographs. Double primary teeth involving 2 adjacent teeth and those involving the same tooth have different patterns of association with the permanent successors. Double primary teeth involving 2 adjacent teeth are associated more frequently with congenitally missing permanent successors. A combination of factors such as decreased hereditary dependent mitotic potential of the tooth germ and presence of an inhibitory zone around the tooth germ might have been responsible for the formation of these anomalies. It is suggested that double primary teeth probably result from unseparated rather than fused tooth masses.