Abstract
A tooth is described as submerged if it has erupted normally and reached the occlussal plane, but due to some cause or other, fails to maintain its position and at last locates below the normal occlusal plane.
An 11 years 9 month old girl was refered to the Pedodontics Clinic of Hirosima University School of Dentistory with the chief complaint being esthetic dissatisfaction with the maxillary anterior portion.
Oral examination revealed that the bilateral maxillary first deciduous molars were submerged teeth. The principal observations are as follows.
1) Most of the crown was located below the gingival margin, so that inspected from the buccal side only the buccal cusp was recognized.
2) Except for the cusps and part of the occlusal surface, the crown was covered with the gingiva.
3) The occlusal surfaces were restored with amalgam filling material. But because of insufficient plaque control, secondary caries were found at the marginal region.
4) Roentogenographical examination revealed the absence of many succeeding permanent teeth involving the bilateral maxillaly first premolars.
The roots of the submerged teeth were exceedingly resorbed, so only part of the palatal root was observed. Periodontal membrane space and lamina dura were found on only the mesial side of the roots.
The right one showed radiolucency resembling a proximal carious lesion on the distal surface of the crown.
We decided to extract both of them because of the lack of any occlusal function, the susceptibility to dental caries and periodontal disease, and the inducement of malocculusion.
