Analysis of facial growth in subjects with syndromic ectodermal dysplasia: a longitudinal analysis.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the craniofacial growth pattern of patients diagnosed with syndromic ectodermal dysplasia.

DESIGN

Mixed longitudinal analysis of lateral cephalograms.

SETTING

The data were analysed using a multilevel modelling technique with the MLwiN application software and the results presented numerically and graphically.

SAMPLE POPULATION: All 61 subjects had severe hypodontia with the number of absent teeth (excluding third molars) ranging from 6 to 28 (mean = 15.4). At presentation the subjects had a mean age of 133 months and were followed longitudinally for between one and five subsequent occasions (mean 2.66 occasions; mean age at completion of observation 207 months).

OUTCOME MEASURES: Lateral cephalograms taken at each visit.

EXPERIMENTAL VARIABLES: Analysis of four angular measurements and four linear measurements, together with one calculated ratio.

RESULTS

Growth curves are presented showing the trends of craniofacial growth.

CONCLUSIONS

The most significant findings were for a universal tendency for the individuals to undergo a change in sagittal relationship of the jaws, becoming markedly more Class III with time. We have also demonstrated a significant difference in growth between the anterior and posterior face heights indicating that the subjects have a tendency to an anterior growth rotation.