Dental Decay Phenotype in Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefting

Area of Science:

• Oral Health
• Genetics
• Pediatric Dentistry

Background:

• Children with oral clefts often exhibit dental anomalies.
• Previous research on dental decay risk in oral cleft populations is conflicting.
• Limited data exists on dental decay risk in unaffected relatives of individuals with oral clefts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess dental decay risk in a large international cohort of children with nonsyndromic oral clefts and their relatives.
• To compare dental decay rates between individuals with oral clefts, their relatives, and control groups.
• To determine if families with oral clefts have an increased risk of dental decay compared to the general population.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 3,326 subjects was analyzed, including 639 case probands, 1,549 unaffected relatives, and 1,138 controls.
• Dental decay was assessed through in-person examinations and intraoral photographs.
• Regression analysis was used to compare case-control differences in decayed and filled teeth (dft, DFT) and decayed teeth (dt, DT) for primary and permanent dentitions.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in dft, dt, DFT, or DT were observed between cases (individuals with oral clefts) and controls.
• Dental decay rates in the cleft region did not differ significantly between cases and controls.
• Unaffected siblings and parents showed no significant differences in dental decay compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Individuals with nonsyndromic oral clefts and their families do not exhibit an elevated risk for dental decay.
• Factors contributing to dental anomalies in oral clefts may not increase caries susceptibility.
• Greater access to dental care might mitigate any perceived higher dental decay risk in individuals with oral clefts.