What congenital anomalies do patients with Downs Syndrome present with ?

A low powered study from Brazil has illustrated some evidence for hypodontia being highly prevalent amongst patients with Downs Syndrome. In this study 96 individuals were clinically and radiographically examined. 

Hypodontia was found to be the most prevalent condition at 36%, followed by microdontia at 10%, conical teeth at 7%. Taurodontic teeth were rarer at 3% with other anomalies such as dens invaginatus 1% of cases. 

The authors concluded that the occurrence of hypodontia was high amongst this patient cohort and is likely to impact on their management not only in their interaction with orthodontics and paediatric dentistry but also with special care dentists managing them in adulthood. 

The link can be found below

http://www.stephenhancocks.com/download.php?op=view_article&article_id=395

Helen Tippetts References for her lecture on Definitions and Aetiology

PDF list of all further reading and references can be found here.

Select references can be found below

Polder 2004
Neiminen 1995
Khalaf 2014
Fleischmannova 2008
Brook et al. 2002

Kings College Hospital Hypodontia Study Day on 4th of May 2016

The annual Kings College Hospital Study Day will take place on the 4th of May 2016 at the Weston Education Centre, Denmark Hill. The program will be delivered by staff of Kings who are directly involved in management of both adolescent and adult patients on a number of multidisciplinary clinics. Subject covered will include management of the developing dentition, orthodontic considerations, the provision of adhesive dentistry such as composite masking and resin bonded bridges in addition to the placement of implants. 

Hypodontia program 4th May 2016

Hypodontia Booking form May 2016

Baby teeth can be built up to function like adult teeth

The Leeds restorative dentistry group have published a review illustrating how 'baby' teeth can be efficiently built up with white filling material to function like adult teeth. This procedure doesn't require the need for anaesthesia or tooth drilling and can be delivered easily. 

Leeds Dental Institute review on baby teeth being built up with white filling material

Patients with Hypodontia have different needs to other patients

The hypodontia team from the Eastman Dental Institute have published a review paper outlining the management needs of patients with hypodontia with specific reference to the dental, psycho-social, medical, functional, educational and financial implications that this diagnosis can bring. They identified the need for disease prevention as well as the management issues that can present during growth and development. The article can be accessed on the link below.

Counselling patients with Hypodontia

Which teeth are commonly missing in hypodontia patients ?

Some teeth are more likely to present with Hypodontia than others. Polder in 2004 published a meta-analysis that ill the differences between different teeth and their likelihood of being missing. In the order of most commonly missing moving down to least commonly missing.

1. Mandibular second premolar
2. Maxillary lateral incisor
3. Maxillary second premolar
4. Mandibular central incisor
5. Mandibular lateral incisor
6. Maxillary first premolar
7. Mandibular second molar
8. Maxillary canine
9. Mandibular first molar
10. Maxillary Central incisor

Pubmed abstract to the full paper here.

Why overcomplicate hypodontia treatment?

A recent research article in the International Journal of Dental Sciences and Research emphasised the importance of non-destructive restorative management of missing teeth. A good aesthetic outcome was achieved with bonded white composite fillings and resin bonded bridges (sticky bridges). After 4 years of fixed orthodontics, a good aesthetic result can be achieve with minimal intervention, non-tooth destructive restorative treatment in a relatively short period of time.

Click on the link below for the full article:

http://pubs.sciepub.com/ijdsr/3/2A/1/

This post was by Lakshmi Rasaratnam, StR in Restorative Dentistry, Kings College Hospital. l.rasaratnam@nhs.net

Hypodontia is a common problem amongst Cleft lip palate patients

A recent dental review from Malaysia  has reminded dental professionals and informed patients that hypodontia is a common problem amongst patients who present with cleft lip and palate. Cleft lip and palate is a group of conditions that includes cleft lip (CL), cleft palate (CP), and both together. A cleft lip is an opening in the upper lip that may extend into the nose. The opening may be on one side, both sides, or in the middle. 

These disorders can result in feeding problems, speech problems, hearing problems, and frequent ear infections. Less than half the time the condition is associated with other disorders. One of the most significant problems is that of difficulties in eating due to the opening in the mouth and the routine absence of teeth near the opening. 

Click on the link to be taken to the article.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4438093/pdf/mjms-22

Scottish research shows how common hypodontia is !

Recent research from Aberdeen Dental School has shed new light on how common (incidence/prevalence) 
Hypodontia is. Approximately 6.5% of the worlds population has hypodontia but this can vary by continent. Hypodontia was most common in Africa: 13.4%, followed by Europe 7%, Asia 6.3% and Australia 6.3%with a lower prevalence in North America 5.0% CI: 4.1–5.9 and Latin America and Caribbean 4.4%. 

Click on the link below for the published paper. 

http://www.maneyonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1179/1465313314Y.0000000116

New research shows that resin bridges can last a very very long time without any problems !

New research from Bristol Dental Hospital illustrates that resin bonded bridges can last 15 years or more when delivered under the right circumstances to patients with missing teeth. A survival study was conducted on patients who have had resin bonded bridges and it was shown that patients who did not loose the bridge by 4 years could possibly have the bridge for life such were the excellent nature of the results. 

Click on the link below for the abstract. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25858740