Dental root abnormalities and gingival overgrowth in epileptic patients receiving anticonvulsant therapy

Forty-six mentally retarded epileptic patients being treated with phenytoin and phenobarbital were studied to determine the root/crown length ratios. Forty-five mentally retarded patients not receiving anticonvulsant drugs provided the controls. Further, because serum phenytoin levels have been related to severity of gingival hyperplasia, efforts were made to determine if the hyperplasia was associated with dental root abnormalities and also whether these abnormalities could be related to epilepsy per se. Results showed that in certain teeth there was a smaller root/crown ratio in the patients taking anticonvulsant medication. The male patients were more affected than the female. The unusually short roots were not necessarily related to high serum phenytoin but the severity of gingival overgrowth was. Histologic study of teeth from patients taking anticonvulsants revealed developmental abnormalities and resorption.