engleski

Orofacial system Anomalies and Detection of Idiopathic Scoliosis

Idiopathic scolioses or lateral deviations of the spine are very common deformities in school children, occurring in 11% to 19% of this population.As the cause of development of idiopathic scolioses remains unknown, no causal treatment can be used.Therefore, detection of any additional development anomalies associated with scoliosis is a useful contribution to the efforts made to elucidate the etiology of scoliosis. The present study included 202 children with idiopathic scoliosis, where the deviation angle measured according to Cobb exceeded 20 degrees. Analysis of the orofacial skeleton in children with scoliosis revealed a significantly greater percentage of congenital anomalies than in the children without scoliosis.Hypodontia of one or more teeth was the most common anomaly, found in 1=% children with scoliosis.Scoliosis was identified by the so-called touch-toe test, spinal x-ray, and degree of deviation according to Cobb. Oral status included clinical examination, x-ray orthopantomogram, and study models as required. Control group comprised of 640 children witout spinal deviation, in whom partial anodontia was diagnosed in only 0.8% of cases, and congenital deformities of orofacial skeleton in a negligible percentage of subjects. We report on a 9-year-pld girl who presented for upper central incisor traumatism.Clinical examination of the oral cavity revealed hypodontia of upper second premolars. The traumatized incisor was endodontically treated by a preparation of calcium hydroxide to the completion of apexification, followed by filling and reconstruction with composite material. The child was referred to an orthopedist, who detected idiopathic scoliosis of the spine with 24-degree deviation according to Cobb. The child has since been on conservative therapie for idiopathic scoliosis, consisting of wearing a Milwaukee brace for 16 hours a day and pedodontic control visits to make up on time for the loss caused by anodontia. Our results suggest that the identification and detection of orofacial skeleton anomalies may prove useful in the early detection of idiopathic scolioses. We are inclined to believe that there is a genetic predisposition for both congenital anomalies of orofacial system and idiopathic scolioses, based on the common mesenchymal origin of the bone and teeth. Our studies pointed to the association of hypodontia and idiopathic scoliosis. As orofacial system anomalies occur and manifest at a younger chronologic age than idiopathic scoliosis, ehich becomes manifest only at the time of intensive osseus growth of a child, timely identification of congenital dental anomalies (mostly anodontia in our studies) could play an important role in the detection of possible development of idiopathic scoliosis in a given patient.

orofacial system anomalies; idiopathic scoliosis

13 th Congress of the Europen Anthropological Association: Abstracts