[Dental age in children with epidermolysis bullosa]

Was to assess dental age and the frequency of dental extractions in children with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) compared to controls.

The study comprised 22 EB children (8 boys and 14 girls aged 4-16 years, mean age 11.1±3.5 years) and 25 healthy children (9 boys and 16 girls aged 4-14 years, mean age 10.1±2.4 years). Dental age was measured on panoramic X-ray by Demirjian method and then compared to child's physical age to estimate retardation or advance in dental maturity.

Only in 5 from 22 EB children dental age corresponded to physical age, there was dental age retardation in 7 patients (13 to 68 months, 27±21.5 months in average), but in 10 dental age exceeded physical (4 to 21 months, 12.9±7.8 months in average). In controls where was only one boy with dental age retardation by 18 months, in 7 children dental age corresponded to physical, in 17 dental age advance by 5-45 months (16.0±11.0 months in average) was revealed. Conclusion. Possible dental age retardation in EB patients should be considered when undertaking dental extractions for orthodontic reasons. For more precise orthodontic treatment timing further studies are needed to correlate dental age, skeletal age and BMI in children with EB.