Regional odontodysplasia is an uncommon developmental abnormality of teeth, usually localized to a certain area and nonhereditary. No predilection for race, but females are more likely to get regional odontodysplasia. The enamel

Tooth enamel

Tooth enamel, along with dentin, cementum, and dental pulp is one of the four major tissues that make up the tooth in vertebrates. It is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance in the human body. Tooth enamel is also found in the dermal denticles of sharks...

, dentin

Dentin

Dentine is a calcified tissue of the body, and along with enamel, cementum, and pulp is one of the four major components of teeth. Usually, it is covered by enamel on the crown and cementum on the root and surrounds the entire pulp...

, and pulp

Pulp (tooth)

The dental pulp is the part in the center of a tooth made up of living connective tissue and cells called odontoblasts.- Anatomy :Each person can have a total of up to 52 pulp organs, 32 in the permanent and 20 in the primary teeth....

 of teeth are affected, and on radiographs the teeth are described as "ghost teeth".
Most cases are considered idiopathic but some cases are associated with syndromes, growth abnormalities, neural disorders, and vascular malformations.
Permanent teeth usually show effects of regional odontodysplasia if the deciduous tooth was affected.
Many of these teeth don't erupt with an increased risk for caries and periapical inflammation.

Treatment/Prognosis is usually based upon keeping these teeth and preserving the alveolus. For erupted teeth, Endodontics is an option if the tooth is devitalized and restorable. For unerupted teeth, function can be restored with a removable partial denture until all major growth has been completed and a final restoration can be placed.