title: Esthetic and functional rehabilitation of a patient with nonsyndromic oligodontia: a case report from China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oligodontia (severe partial anodontia) is a developmental dental anomaly. It is either an isolated trait or part of a syndrome. Oligodontia is characterized by the congenital absence of more than six permanent teeth except the third molars. Treatment often calls for facilitated surgical techniques, but less severe cases can be treated conventionally in a normally equipped dental office.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case of oligodontia treated with prosthetic rehabilitation is presented in this article to remind clinicians of the anomaly. A medical history was taken and clinical and radiographic examinations were made. It is emphasized that conventional prosthetic treatment can lead to a satisfactory result. The patient was treated with fully extending denture prostheses. An overdenture was designed in the maxillary arch, while a removable partial denture was made in the mandibular arch.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient's speech and masticatory function improved greatly. He was also pleased with better facial esthetics. Observed temporomandibular joint dysfunction also ameliorated after the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dental clinicians should keep in mind that there are good possibilities with conventional prosthodontic techniques to help patients with dental anomalies. Treatment not only improves speech and masticatory function but also has psychological implications that may greatly help in regaining self-confidence. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Patients suffering from oligodontia may have severe psychological, esthetic, and functional problems. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment of these patients are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China. xiangyi.he@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Xiangyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Weina
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kirsti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kari
authors.forename: Jukka H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Meurman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000848:Anodontia / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D002508:Cephalometry; D003779:Denture Design / Q000379:methods; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D003832:Denture, Partial, Removable; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008334:Mandible; D008437:Maxilla