Pure ectodermal dysplasia: Retrospective study of 16 cases and literature review

Objective: To review the possible craniomaxillofacial deformative consequen ces associated with ectodermal dysplasias and embryonic malformations, whic h include dental ageneses. Setting: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, University Hospital, Li lle, 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 radiograph ic and Delaire's cephalometric studies before being treated. Main Outcome Measures: All patients had tooth ageneses (from hypodontia to anodontla), associated with cutaneous dyshidrosis and hair and nail dystrop hy. Most of them had a short face, with an unusual facial concavity, a maxi llary retrusion, and a relative mandibular protrusion. Management Results and Discussion: Depending on their ages and their orthop edic abnormalities, patients underwent either dental or prosthodontic, orth odontic, orthopedic, orthognathic, or implant treatment. So as not to inter fere with the growth pattern, we preferred to reserve Implant and orthognat hic 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.