Case report of an Afro-Caribbean adolescent with moderate hypodontia managed with a partial flexible denture

Abstract

A 14-year-old male of Afro-Caribbean descent presented with moderate hypodontia, missing some of the permanent mandibular premolars and the lower central incisors, which was a rare finding. There were no apparent associated systemic or syndromic relationships. The main dental concerns were aesthetics, function and space maintenance until adolescent craniofacial bone growth had ceased. Thus, an initial intervention entailed provision of a unilateral removable partial flexible denture that was acceptable to the patient and provided a suitable aesthetic result for the young person. This approach was preferred to a ‘band and loop’ appliance proposed in the literature because the removable partial denture supported function and aesthetics. CPD/Clinical Relevance: Unilateral removable partial flexible dentures may be useful in mid-adolescent cases of hypodontia.