Clinical implications of a diagnosis of taurodontism: A literature review

Abstract

Taurodontism is a morphological anomaly involving multirooted teeth that is characterized by a vertical shift of the pulp chamber and shortening of the roots. The literature was analyzed to determine the impact of a diagnosis of taurodontism on dental treatment. A total of 85 full-text publications from the years 2005-2021 were analyzed and 20 publications were included in this research. The endodontic treatment of a taurodont tooth is challenging due to the apical displacement of the pulpal chamber floor and the incorrect configuration of the root canal system, or the presence of additional canals. In terms of prosthetics, the use of taurodont teeth as abutments is not recommended as they lack stability due to shorter roots. The extraction of taurodont teeth can be complicated due to an apical shift of the root furcation. In periodontology, taurodont teeth can have a better prognosis as there is less chance of furcation involvement. From an orthodontic point of view, it is important to note that taurodont teeth are not sufficiently embedded in the alveolus and have a greater tendency for root resorption. With regard to genetic diseases, it has been reported that this anomaly can exist as an isolated feature. However, the majority of authors agree that taurodontism is associated with conditions such as Down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, cleft lip and palate, hypodontia, amelogenesis imperfecta, and others. From a clinical standpoint, it is very important to diagnose taurodontism before treatment. A diagnosis of taurodontism can be important in the early diagnosis of malformations that commonly occur with this condition.

Prevalence of Taurodontism in Contemporary and Historical Populations from Radom: A Biometric Analysis of Radiological Data

“…Taurodontism is a morphological anomaly that affects multirooted molars in the mandible and maxilla. It has been observed in both permanent and deciduous teeth [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. The first report of these atypically shaped teeth in prehistoric hominids was made by deTerra in 1903 [ 4 , 5 ].…”

“…The presence of taurodontism in modern humans was first noted by Henry Pickerill in 1909 [ 3 ]. The term “taurodontism” was coined in 1913 by Sir Arthur Keith, derived from the Latin word “taurus” (bull) and the Greek word “odus” (tooth), i.e., a “bull-like tooth”.…”

An improved diagnostic method for taurodontism and a comparative study on its effectiveness evaluation

“…Taurodontism poses challenges to the treatment of various dental condition, including endodontic diseases, periodontal diseases, orthodontics and prosthetics [ 8 ]; Therefore, it is extremely important to obtain accurate incidence rates. To sum up, the selection of diagnostic methods for taurodontism should be based on different age groups to choose different detection methods.…”

Influnces of tooth anatomy in endodontic treatment

“…By elongating the pulp chamber and extending it into the root region, Shifman and Chanannel define taurodontism as a deformation of the internal morphology of the dental pulp cavity [19] . Due to the complexity of the aberration, taurodontism, an anatomical variation of the tooth structure, presents a challenge in diagnosis.…”

“…Taurodontism has also been categorized using several categorization schemes. Others have demonstrated either cynodont, hypotaurodont, mesotaurodont, or hypertaurodont [19,20] . Some have claimed to have established a Taurodont index.…”