An unusual presentation of opalescent dentin and Brandywine isolate hereditary opalescent dentin in an Ashkenazic Jewish family.

Two children of Austrian Ashkenazic Jewish background, related as second cousins, have a variant of opalescent dentin in their deciduous teeth. This has been classified by Witkop as Brandywine isolate hereditary opalescent dentin and by Shields as dentinogenesis imperfecta type III. One of the children also has dysmorphic facial features, seizures, and severe mental retardation. Her mother has dysmorphic facial features and mild mental retardation. The mothers of both children and several other family members have classic opalescent dentin (dentinogenesis imperfecta type II). Radiographs of the deciduous and permanent dentitions of one mother showed obliterated pulp chambers. Confirmation of obliterated pulp chambers in the deciduous teeth of the mother of a child with Brandywine isolate hereditary opalescent dentin makes it unlikely that classic opalescent dentin and Brandywine isolate hereditary opalescent dentin are separate genetic disorders. Evidence from this family supports the hypothesis that Brandywine isolate hereditary opalescent dentin is a variant of opalescent dentin.