Epidermolysis bullosa and dental developmental age.
OBJECTIVE
The dental development of permanent mandibular teeth in a small group of children with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) was assessed from radiographs and compared to a healthy, age-and-sex-matched control group.


METHODS
This was a retrospective radiographic cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of a group of 44 children aged between 4 and 15 years with DEB and healthy, age-and-sex-matched controls. Two quantitative methods of assessing tooth formation were used: (1) a combination of information about tooth length and apex width; and (2) the use of tooth length to predict age. Panoramic radiographs were digitized in order to determine tooth length and apex width. Dental age was calculated, and the difference with real age was tested with Student's t-test.


RESULTS
The dentition of both the DEB and control groups was slightly delayed. Using the first method, the delay was 0.34 +/- 0.87 years for the DEB group and 0.29 +/- 0.97 years for the control group. Using the second method, the delay was 0.49 +/- 1.18 years for the DEB group and 0.23 +/- 0.62 years for the control group. This delay was not statistically significant for either method.


CONCLUSIONS
The dental formation of permanent mandibular teeth in the group of children with DEB was not significantly different to that found in the control group.
Liversidge
H M
HM
Paediatric Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, UK. h.m.liversidge@qmul.ac.uk
Kosmidou
A
A
Hector
M P
MP
Roberts
G J
GJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000366:Age Determination by Teeth; D000566:Amelogenesis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019229:Dentition, Permanent; D016108:Epidermolysis Bullosa Dystrophica / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D009811:Odontometry; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014070:Tooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D014078:Tooth Eruption