Analysis of the primary and the permanent teeth dimension In Korean hemifacial microsomia patients

Chang, Young Il; Yang, Won Sik; Nahm, Dong Seok; Kim, Tae Woo; Baek, Seung Hak

Abstract

Hemifacial microsomia (HFM) is the second most common craniofacial abnormalies. HFM represnted a spectrum of clinical findings such as hypoplasia of the mandibular ramus and condyle, confinement of maxilla growth, external and/or middle ear defects, involvement of some cranial suture, buccal soft tissue, facial nerve, and muscles in the affected side. HFM often showed progressive facial asymmetry and occlusal plane slanting to the affected side with growth. There were several reports about asymmetry of tooth maturation, hypodontia, delayed eruption, enamel hypoplasia in HFM. Since teeth develop in close association with size and morphology of the maxilla and the mandible, it is highly likely that dental changes will be present in HFM. So the purpose of this study was to investigate the differences of the primary and the permanent teeth dimensions in the maxillary and the mandibular dentition between the affected and the non-affected side of HFM. The sample of this study consisted of 34 unilateral HFM patients (18 males and 16 females, average age : 5 year 11 months old). The authors examined the mesiodistal and the faciolingual dimensions of the primary and the permanent teeth and performed statistical study by using paired t-test. The results were as follows : 1. The mesiodistal dimensions of the mandibular second primary molar and the mandibular first permanent molar in the affected side of HFM were significantly smaller than those of non-affected side. But there were no significant differences in the anterior teeth and the mandibular frist primary molar. It means that a gradient of severity from anterior teeth to posterior teeth was found in the mandibular dentition.. 2. Although there were no significant differences in the faciolingual dimensions of the primary and the permanent teeth in the maxillary and the mandibular dentition between the affected and non-affected side of HFM, there were general trend of compensatory increase in faciolingual dimension of the mandibular primary and the permanent teeth in the affected side. Therefore these results showed that HFM might affect on the abnormality of tooth dimension, especially the most posterior teeth, in the affected side of the mandible.