Protostylid: Contributing and Aggravating Factor for Periodontitis

TL;DR

This paper discusses protostylid, a rare dental feature that can cause oral hygiene issues and periodontitis, and highlights its importance in forensic dentistry.

Contribution

The paper presents a rare case of protostylid and emphasizes its clinical and forensic significance.

Findings

Protostylid can lead to plaque accumulation and periodontal issues.

Protostylid is a rare morphological feature useful in forensic identification.

Early diagnosis of protostylid can prevent complications in dental treatments.

Abstract

Clinicians should be well-versed in the anatomy, variations, and teeth anomalies. Developmental disturbances of the teeth can lead to alterations in size, shape, number, structure, and eruption of the teeth. Developmental disturbances can lead to germination, fusion, concrescence, dilaceration, talons, cusps, dens in dente, etc. Protostylid, an additional cusp on the buccal aspect of the maxillary molar, which is a rare clinical finding, can lead to plaque accumulation, making oral hygiene maintenance difficult. This leads to clinical attachment loss and bone loss. This condition may often go undiagnosed. It should be diagnosed to prevent further complications. This case has been reported to make clinicians aware of the importance of diagnosing the case at the earliest possible time so that complications can be prevented and management is easier. From the perspective of forensic dentistry, this morphological feature, though uncommon, may be useful for the classification and identification of victims in mass causalities and bite marks on bodies or inanimate objects. This is one of the rarest cases of protostylids reported to date. This may not only pose a significant problem in endodontic therapy due to morphological alterations in root canals and periodontal therapy due to grove formation leading to an inability to maintain a plaque-free area (bone loss) but also be of very significant interest from the perspective of forensic dentistry.

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