Implants in children with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia: an alternative approach to esthetic management: case report and review of the literature.

Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a rare congenital disease that affects several ectodermal structures. Children with ED may have various manifestations of the disease that differ in severity. In addition to its other symptoms, ED causes anadontia and hypodontia of the primary or permanent teeth, impacted teeth, malformed and widely spaced peg-shaped teeth, and underdeveloped alveolar ridges. Since the oral rehabilitation of these cases is often difficult, particularly in pediatric patients, treatment should be provided by a multidisciplinary team. Dental implants are the treatment of choice when growth has stabilized, and implants can be used to support, retain, and stabilize the prosthesis. The purpose of this paper was to present a case report of implant placement in a 7-year-old girl with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia and review the current literature to discuss the use of dental implants in such patients.