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A large proportion (>50%) of patients with isolated oligodontia were recently reported with WNT10A mutations. We have analyzed a population-based cohort of 102 individuals diagnosed with non-syndromic oligodontia and a mean of 8.2 missing teeth. The cohort included 94 families and screening of WNT10A identified that 26 probands (27.7%) had at least one WNT10A variant. When we included the MSX1, PAX9, AXIN2, EDA, EDAR, and EDARADD genes, 38.3% of probands were positive for a mutation. Biallelic WNT10A mutations were strongly associated with a larger number of missing teeth (11.09) when compared to both monoallelic WNT10 mutations (6.82) and the group without mutations in WNT10A, MSX1, PAX9, AXIN2, EDA, EDAR, or EDARADD (7.77). Genotype-phenotype analysis of individuals with WNT10A mutations showed that premolars were the most common missing teeth. Furthermore, biallelic WNT10A mutations were associated with absence of maxillary and mandibular molars as well as mandibular central incisors. Maxillary central incisors were always present. Thus, our study indicates that WNT10A mutations are associated with both the type and numbers of missing teeth. Furthermore, we show that this population-based cohort of isolated oligodontia had a considerably lower frequency of mutated WNT10A alleles and a lower mean number of missing teeth when compared to patients recruited from dental specialist centers., (© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Purpose: This study surveyed dental implant treatment in children up to age 16 years in Sweden between 1985 and 2005, with special reference to young children with ectodermal dysplasia (ED) and anodontia in the lower jaw., Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was sent to Swedish specialist clinics in oral and maxillofacial surgery and prosthetic dentistry. Also, the teams who had treated children with ED were asked to submit their records for these children for a discussion on reasons for implant failure., Results: Six out of 30 specialist centers (20%) in Sweden had treated 26 children with dental implants between 1985 and 2005. Twenty-one patients had received 33 implants to replace teeth missing from nonsyndromic agenesis or trauma at ages 14 or 15 years; 2 (6.1%) of these implants were lost. Five children with ED received 14 implants at 5 to 12 years of age; 9 (64.3%) of these implants were lost before loading., Conclusions: Dental implant placement has been a rarely used treatment modality in Swedish children less than 16 years old in the last 20 years. The failure rate in children treated because of tooth agenesis was only slightly higher than that reported for adult individuals, whereas in young children with ED and anodontia in the mandible, implants seemed to present special challenges, and the failure rate was very high. The small jaw size and peroperative conditions, rather than ED per se, were thought to be the main risk factors. Centralizing implant operations in young children with ED and monitoring outcomes in implant registers are strongly advocated.

Objectives: The aim was to assess signs and symptoms from other ectodermal organs in addition to teeth in young individuals with oligodontia and to establish the prevalence of oligodontia., Sample and Methods: Children born 1981-94 reported by dental teams in the Public Dental Service to have oligodontia were asked to participate in a clinical study. The examinations comprised a structured interview on symptoms from ectodermal organs, and testing of salivary secretion., Results: One hundred and sixty-two individuals met the inclusion criteria, and 123 individuals (75.9%) participated in the clinical study. Half of the individuals had one to four signs or symptoms from ectodermal organs beside oligodontia. The most common sign was low salivary secretion. Twelve individuals (9.6%) with isolated oligodontia reported impaired function of the sweat glands, hair, or nails. The prevalence of oligodontia was 0.090%., Conclusions: An early identification of individuals with oligodontia can be made in a majority of cases by checking that all permanent incisors have erupted at the age of 8 years. The validity in asking individuals about normal and abnormal function of ectodermal organs was found to be low. This indicates that there is a strong need to establish routine clinical criteria for dysplasia of ectodermal organs.

Having natural teeth is a matter of varying importance according to the priorities given to dental health status, compliance with recommendations and demand for dental care. The aim of this study was to assess the relative adjustment needed when one or more teeth are lost and when dentures are provided compared with other life events. The study was conducted as a mailed questionnaire to a sample of 311 20-70 year old subjects in the community of Jönköping. Seventy-five per cent of the sample, with a mean age of 43.2 years, responded. The Social Readjustment Rating Questionnaire, comprising 46 life events, was supplemented with two events concerning tooth loss and denture-wearing. The answers were given on a graphic rating scale with end points 'not difficult at all' and 'more difficult than anything' and coded by values 0 to 20. After calculation of mean values, the questions were rank ordered; the item with the highest mean was given the highest rank. 'Losing one or more teeth' was ranked 28.5 (means = 10.7) and 'getting dentures' 33 (means = 12.0) of the 48 life events investigated. This suggests that a majority of respondents perceived losing teeth and being provided with dentures as more important in terms of adjustment than events such as 'marriage', 'retirement' and 'changing work'. No significant differences in relation to age and sex were found.