A helpful way to understand this condition is to break down the term into its parts.
- Regional
It affects one or several adjacent teeth. - Odonto
This means the condition relates to your teeth. - Dysplasia
Dysplasia refers to the presence of abnormal cells in organs or tissues in your body.
In this case, what's abnormal is that there isn't enough enamel and dentin, two of the four main parts of every tooth.
- Enamel
The hard, protective outer layer of a tooth above your gums. - Cementum
The hard, protective outer layer beneath your gums. - Dentin
The tissue beneath the enamel and cementum that makes up most of your tooth. - Pulp
The inside of your tooth, where the root and the nerves reside.
Because the enamel and dentin don't sufficiently grow in ghost teeth, your pulp chamber will be unusually large, which is why the ghostlike appearance happens in radiographs.
Regional odontodysplasia often results in discoloration, softness in your teeth, abnormal structure, and increased susceptibility to gum disease, swelling, pain, and abscesses. Ghost teeth are often accompanied by delayed, failed, or incomplete tooth eruption.
Learn about similar conditions, dentin dysplasia, and dentinogenesis imperfecta.