Diagnosis, Causes, and Prevalence
If you have any taurodont teeth, you won't even know it until a dental X-ray exposes the condition and a dentist diagnoses taurodontism. Although considered to be a developmental rarity, the precise cause of taurodontism is unknown.
According to research published in the Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences, taurodont teeth can result from various causes:
- Hormonal disorders or mutations
- Genetic disorders or mutations such as:
- Amelogenesis imperfecta, a condition affecting the development of tooth enamel
- Ectodermal dysplasia, a disorder affecting the skin, hair, nails, teeth, and sweat glands
- Cell mutations or disruptions
- Evolutionary adaptations
The prevalence of taurodont teeth shows up globally in multiple groups of people. The Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences research notes that the condition is common among the indigenous people of Alaska, Australia, and Central America.
Taurodontism is also associated with several developmental syndromes, including Down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, Mohr syndrome, Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, and Lowe syndrome.