Development of dentition: From initiation to occlusion and related diseases

The development of dentition begins in the embryonic oral cavity and progresses in the branchial arches and alveolar bone. Continuous cellular and molecular crosstalk occurs during crown formation, after which the tooth germ begins to migrate apically through the alveolar process into the oral cavity. It eventually comes in contact with its antagonist in the contralateral jaw to establish functional occlusion. Any defect in either step can result in delayed tooth development, the spectrum of which varies from a congenitally missing tooth to an impacted tooth (infraocclusion) with an eruption problem, both of which can impair oral function.

Congenitally missing teeth or eruption problems may result from genetic mutations. Several different mutations have been identified, each causing a distinct phenotype. Thus, it is imperative that medical providers understand the fundamentals of these genetic principles that govern such dental diseases.

In this review, we focus on several diseases, including congenitally missing teeth and tooth eruption problems. We review these diseases with aspect to their association with a particular syndrome, as well as independently in a non-syndromic capacity. We also review previously identified genetic mutations and discuss the possible mechanisms that cause individual phenotypes by analyzing previous investigations. We also discuss future prospects of how genetic diagnosis and precision medicine could impact the clinical environment in the field of dentistry.

Present study has been carried out in accordance with The Code of Ethics of the World Medical Association and approved by Institutional Review Board of Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry.