Unusal variant of Type 3 Dens invaginatus in a maxillary lateral incisor: A rare case report

Dens invaginatus (dens in dente) is a malformation of the teeth characterized by an early invagination of the enamel and dentine that can extend deep into the pulp cavity and to the roots and sometimes reach the apex. This defect appears mainly in maxillary permanent lateral incisors; other groups of teeth affected, in decreasing order of frequency, are central incisors, premolars, canines, and molars(1). The most popular and commonly used classification of invaginated teeth is the classification of 3 types proposed by Oehler’s: type 1, invagination confined within the crown; type 2, invagination as a blind sac extending beyond the cement-enamel junction but not reaching the periodontal ligament; and type 3, invagination extending beyond the cement-enamel junction, with the second foramen extending into the periradicular tissues or into the apical area (2). Type 3 Dens invaginatus is an exaggeration of the process of formation of a cingular pit. Dentine and enamel-forming tissue invaginate the whole length of a tooth to appear radiographically as a tooth-within-a tooth. Type 3 Dens Invaginatus is named as invaginated odontome. Extension of this process causes the formation of an invaginated odontome (3). The aim of this presentation is to show a type 3 Dens Invaginatus which is extracted due to the symptoms.