Oral manifestation of Achondroplasia

 # An outstanding oral manifestation of achondroplasia is:

A. Rampant caries

B. Periodontal disease

C. Overcrowding of teeth

D. Supernumerary teeth

The correct answer is C. Overcrowding of teeth.

Achondroplasia is the most common form of short-limb dwarfism. It occurs in all races and with equal frequency in males and females. An individual with achondroplasia has a disproportionate short stature -- the head is large and the arms and legs are short when compared to the trunk length. Other signs are a prominent forehead and a depressed bridge of the nose. Many of these children die during the first year of life. Deficient growth in the cranial base is evident in many children that survive.

Important: The maxilla may be small with the resultant crowding of the teeth.

Note: A Class III malocclusion is very common.

Remember: The oral manifestations of the following disorders in children:

• Gigantism: enlarged tongue, mandibular prognathism, teeth are usually tipped to the buccal or lingual side, owing to enlargement of the tongue. Roots may be longer than normal.

• Pituitary dwarfism: the eruption rate and the shedding of the teeth are delayed, clinical crowns appear smaller as do the roots of the teeth, the dental arch as a whole is smaller causing malocclusion, and the mandible is underdeveloped.