One-month-old premature baby undergoes teeth extraction in Thane

Thane,UPDATED: Jul 12, 2026 23:30 IST

A one-month-old premature baby weighing 1.196 kg has undergone a surgical procedure to remove its 'natal teeth' at the civic-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Thane, officials said on Sunday. The surgery was performed on July 10 and removed severe health risks to the infant, according to a statement issued by the Thane Municipal Corporation.

Officials said the case was significant because the procedure was carried out on the baby with the lowest recorded birth weight at the hospital. The infant was born prematurely and was found to have teeth present at birth, a condition known as natal teeth.

According to medical experts, natal teeth occur in about one in every 2,000 to 3,500 live births, with nearly 85 per cent of cases involving the lower central incisors. Quoting Dean Dr Swapnali Kadam, the statement said, "Although surgeries of this nature have been performed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in the past, this particular procedure stands out as it was successfully executed on a baby with the lowest recorded birth weight at our facility."

The hospital in Kalwa decided to intervene surgically because the natal teeth were extremely loose and posed multiple risks, the statement said. It said the teeth could obstruct breastfeeding, carry a high risk of getting dislodged and entering the respiratory tract, and could also cause severe tongue ulceration, medically known as Riga-Fede ulcer.

The procedure was carried out under the coordination of honorary paediatric dentist Dr Shreya Bapat, along with Dr Pallavi Khale, Professor and Head of the Dental Department, Dr Dhairyasheel Edke and Dr Divya Mokashi. Officials said the surgery addressed the immediate risks faced by the premature infant.

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