Pure ectodermal dysplasia: retrospective study of 16 cases and literature review.

OBJECTIVE

To review the possible craniomaxillofacial deformative consequences associated with ectodermal dysplasias and embryonic malformations, which include dental ageneses.

SETTING

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, University Hospital, Lille, France.

PATIENTS: Sixteen patients (seven boys and nine girls, aged 4 to 34 years) with pure ectodermal dysplasia (no ectodermal dysplasia syndromes).

INTERVENTIONS: All patients had a clinical examination. Seven (two boys and five girls, aged 4 to 25 years) had undergone plaster casts and radiographic and Delaire's cephalometric studies before being treated.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All patients had tooth ageneses (from hypodontia to anodontia), associated with cutaneous dyshidrosis and hair and nail dystrophy. Most of them had a short face, with an unusual facial concavity, a maxillary retrusion, and a relative mandibular protrusion. MANAGEMENT RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Depending on their ages and their orthopedic abnormalities, patients underwent either dental or prosthodontic, orthodontic, orthopedic, orthognathic, or implant treatment. So as not to interfere with the growth pattern, we preferred to reserve implant and orthognathic surgery for full-grown cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons must undertake a comprehensive approach to these patients to improve their dental, masticatory, growing, and orthognathic conditions.