Extraction of a Bi-Rooted Primary Maxillary Canine Tooth in a 9-Year-Old Saudi Boy: A Case Report

Patient: Male, 9-year-old Final Diagnosis: Non-restorable carious tooth Symptoms: Pain Clinical Procedure: Dental extraction Specialty: Dentistry OBJECTIVE: Unknown etiology BACKGROUND: Dental anomalies are common congenital disturbances that can occur as single findings or as components of specific syndromes. Primary bi-rooted canine teeth are rare dental anomalies that are more common in the maxilla. It is unusual for a child to have a bi-rooted maxillary canine, as this tooth is known for having a single long root, more than twice the length of the crown. The present report describes the extraction of a bi-rooted primary maxillary canine tooth in a 9-year-old Saudi boy. The report aims to contribute to a better understanding of the possible etiological factors of these rare conditions as well as to review the data available so far in the literature. CASE REPORT: A 9-year-old Saudi boy presented to the clinic for an initial visit. The patient was medically fit. The chief complaint was “I have pain in my upper front left region”. A thorough oral examination revealed that the upper left primary canine was carious. The panoramic radiograph showed that the former tooth was bi-rooted. The tooth was claimed to be non-restorable. Thus, we planned for extraction. The tooth was extracted in the subsequent visit. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of bi-rooted primary canines is rare. Dentists should always assess the presence of any dental abnormality. Panoramic radiographs may give an initial sign of the existence of abnormal bi-rooted teeth, and the abnormality can be confirmed by taking intraoral radiographs. Although the data availability in the literature is limited, ethnicity and gender seem to have an impact on its prevalence.