Deviating dental arch morphology in mild coronal craniosynostosis syndromes

Area of Science:

• Craniofacial anomalies
• Genetics
• Orthodontics

Background:

• Muenke syndrome, Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, and TCF12-related craniosynostosis are genetic conditions affecting skull development.
• These syndromes can lead to craniosynostosis, impacting facial structure.
• Understanding intramaxillary relationships is crucial for managing these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the intramaxillary dental arch dimensions in patients with Muenke syndrome, Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, or TCF12-related craniosynostosis to a control group.
• To identify systematic differences in dental arch relationships in these syndromic populations.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 48 patients (Muenke, Saethre-Chotzen, TCF12-related craniosynostosis) treated between 1982-2010.
• Dental arch measurements including intercanine width (ICW), intermolar width (IMW), arch depth (AD), and arch length (AL) were calculated.
• Comparison with a control group of 329 non-syndromic children.

Main Results:

• All measured dental arch dimensions (ICW, IMW, AL, AD) were statistically significantly smaller in patients with Muenke syndrome, Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, and TCF12-related craniosynostosis compared to the control group.
• Specific significant differences were noted for ICW, IMW, AL, and AD across the syndromic groups.

Conclusions:

• Patients with Muenke syndrome, Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, or TCF12-related craniosynostosis present with smaller maxillary and mandibular dental arches.
• These findings underscore the importance of specialized, multidisciplinary teams for comprehensive management and treatment planning.