The dental status of children with chronic renal failure

We evaluated the dental status of thirty children with chronic renal failure (CRF): 15 managed conservatively, 9 on dialysis replacement therapy and 6 after kidney transplant. Dental age was delayed, but to a lesser extent than bone age; this delay was most marked where CRF occurred before 7 years of age. Eruption age was only minimally delayed. Eighteen patients (60%) showed enamel defects, mainly hypoplasia, the location of which was related to the age at which major metabolic changes of uremia appeared. In 9 children (30%) there was intrinsic discoloration of the teeth--this was also related to the severity and duration of CRF. Compared to normal Israeli children our patients showed poor oral hygiene and gingival condition, but a significantly lower prevalence of caries. Seven patients (23%) showed mild radiologic changes in the jawbones (mainly loss of lamina dura), the severity of which was related to the severity and duration of CRF. None of the above findings could be related to specific metabolic disturbances.