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Modification of tooth size and shape in Down's syndrome
B Peretz1, J Shapira, H Farbstein
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Hadassah Faculty of Dental Medicine Jerusalem, Israel.
Journal of Anatomy
|February 1, 1996
Summary
Children with Down syndrome (DS) have smaller permanent teeth, particularly reduced intercuspal distances in molars. Specific measurements can differentiate DS teeth, aiding in early identification and understanding of dental development in DS.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Genetics
- Human Anatomy
Background:
- Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) often exhibit distinct dental anomalies.
- Reduced tooth size and altered cusp relationships in molars are characteristic of DS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and quantify differences in maxillary first molar morphology between children with and without Down syndrome.
- To develop a predictive model for identifying Down syndrome based on dental measurements.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of dental casts from 26 children with DS and 33 normal children.
- Measurement of intercusp distances, cusp angles, and molar area.
- Application of stepwise logistic regression for discriminant analysis.
Main Results:
- All intercusp distances were significantly smaller in the DS group.
- Specific intercusp distances (mb-dl and mb-ml) effectively discriminated between DS and normal teeth.
- A combination of three angles also provided significant discrimination between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Dental cast measurements, particularly intercusp distances, can reliably differentiate Down syndrome teeth.
- Tooth size reduction appears early, while shape changes occur later in DS tooth development.
- A simple, practical probability model using two intercusp distances can aid in DS identification.