Overview

Hypodontia means you did not grow 1 or more of your teeth.

If you have hypodontia, you might:

• have gaps between your teeth
• still have some of your baby teeth
• have small or pointy teeth

Your dentist will tell you if you have hypodontia. 

About 1 in 20 people have hypodontia. For many people, it does not cause any concerns. Some people do not like the spaces made by missing teeth, especially if the front teeth are affected.

Causes of hypodontia

Hypodontia can happen with no known reason.

It can run in families, but people who have hypodontia do not always pass it on to their children. It can also sometimes be seen as part of another condition.

Diagnosing hypodontia

A dental examination and X-ray are needed to confirm hypodontia.

Treating hypodontia

Treatment can sometimes be done by your family dentist. If specialist help is needed, treatment will be done in a hospital. The NHS has information about how to find an NHS dentist.

The hypodontia team at Guy's Hospital can talk to you about your treatment options and where it can be done.

Treatment for hypodontia often involves a team of specialist dentists who will move your teeth with braces, and replace missing teeth.

Braces

Braces help to slowly move teeth. They can close a gap between teeth, or create more space that can then be filled with a replacement tooth.

Replacing teeth

Missing teeth can be replaced with dentures, bridges, or dental implants.

• A denture is a false tooth that can be removed.
• A bridge is a false tooth fixed to the natural tooth next to the space.
• A dental implant is a metal screw placed in your jaw bone. These are used to hold replacement teeth in the mouth. An implant is not suitable if you are still growing.

Read the NHS information about dentures, bridges, and dental implants. 

If you have small or pointy teeth

Tooth-coloured fillings can be added to small or pointy teeth to reshape them.

After treatment

After treatment, you will return to your own dentist for ongoing care.

The hypodontia team cannot do life-long follow-up care.