Tooth agenesis: from molecular genetics to molecular dentistry.
Tooth agenesis may originate from either genetic or environmental factors. Genetically determined hypodontic disorders appear as isolated features or as part of a syndrome. Msx1, Pax9, and Axin2 are involved in non-syndromic hypodontia, while genes such as Shh, Pitx2, Irf6, and p63 are considered to participate in syndromic genetic disorders, which include tooth agenesis. In dentistry, artificial tooth implants represent a common solution to tooth loss problems; however, molecular dentistry offers promising solutions for the future. In this paper, the genetic and molecular bases of non-syndromic and syndromic hypodontia are reviewed, and the advantages and disadvantages of tissue engineering in the clinical treatment of tooth agenesis are discussed.
Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic. matalova@iach.cz
E
E
Matalova
J
J
Fleischmannova
P T
PT
Sharpe
A S
AS
Tucker
D000818:Animals; D000848:Anodontia / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D003813:Dentistry / Q000639:trends; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D009056:Mouth Abnormalities / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D013577:Syndrome; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000639:trends*; D014083:Tooth Germ / Q000502:physiology