Taurodontism

Taurodontism is a condition found in teeth where the body of the tooth and pulp chamber is enlarged. As a result, the floor of the pulp and the furcation of the tooth is moved apically down the root. The term means "bull like" teeth derived from similarity of these teeth to those of ungulate or cud chewing animals.

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According to Shaw these can be classified as hypotaurodont, hypertaurodont and mesotaurodont.

According to Mangion taurodontism may be:

1. A retrograde character

2. A primitive pattern

3. Mendalian recessive character

4. Atavistic feature

5. A mutation

The condition is of anthropological importance as it was seen in Neanderthals. It has also been reported in Klinefelter's syndrome. The teeth involved are invariably molars, sometimes single and at the other times multiple teeth may be involved. The teeth themselves may look normal and do not have any paricular anatomical character on clinical examination.

On dental radiograph, the involved tooth looks rectangular in shape without apical taper. The pulp chamber is extremely large and the furcations may be only a few millimeters long at times.

References

• Kahn, Michael A. Basic Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. Volume 1. 2001.