Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome: a case report.

Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS) is a rare autosomal dominant condition manifesting as a heterogeneous group of features. Of particular note are the ocular and craniofacial anomalies and dental features such as hypodontia, microdontia, taurodontism, enamel hypoplasia, conical-shaped teeth, shortened roots and delayed eruption. To treat cases with ARS effectively, a multidisciplinary approach is required, and this report describes the complex and long-term management of a case with input from Paediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics, Restorative Dentistry, Speech and Language Therapy, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Radiology.

How much incisor decompensation is achieved prior to orthognathic surgery?

OBJECTIVES: To quantify incisor decompensation in preparation for orthognathic surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Pre-treatment and pre-surgery lateral cephalograms for 86 patients who had combined orthodontic and orthognathic treatment were digitised using OPAL 2.1 [http://www.opalimage.co.uk]. To assess intra-observer reproducibility, 25 images were re-digitised one month later. Random and systematic error were assessed using the Dahlberg formula and a two-sample t-test, respectively. Differences in the proportions of cases where the maxillary (1100 +/- 60) or mandibular (900 +/- 60) incisors were fully decomensated were assessed using a Chi-square test (p<0.05). Mann-Whitney U tests were used to identify if there were any differences in the amount of net decompensation for maxillary and mandibular incisors between the Class II combined and Class III groups (p<0.05). RESULTS: Random and systematic error were less than 0.5 degrees and p<0.05, respectively. A greater proportion of cases had decompensated mandibular incisors (80%) than maxillary incisors (62%) and this difference was statistically significant (p=0.029). The amount of maxillary incisor decompensation in the Class II and Class III groups did not statistically differ (p=0.45) whereas the mandibular incisors in the Class III group underwent statistically significantly greater decompensation (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Mandibular incisors were decompensated for a greater proportion of cases than maxillary incisors in preparation for orthognathic surgery. There was no difference in the amount of maxillary incisor decompensation between Class II and Class III cases. There was a greater net decompensation for mandibular incisors in Class III cases when compared to Class II cases. Key words:Decompensation, orthognathic, pre-surgical orthodontics, surgical-orthodontic.

Secondary alveolar bone grafting (CLEFTSiS) 2000-2004.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether alveolar bone graft outcomes improved with reorganization of Scottish cleft services following the Clinical Services Advisory Group United Kingdom finding of 58% success and to determine the accuracy of results from CLEFTSiS (national managed clinical network for Scottish cleft services) annual audits. DESIGN: Retrospective random analysis of electronic radiographs by two observers. SETTING: Surgical-orthodontic care provided through National Health Service. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-three of 261 patients eligible for alveolar bone grafting by cleft type did not undergo surgery. Nine surgeons operated on 198 patients (2 regrafts). Radiographs were available for 115 subjects (one was excluded). INTERVENTIONS: A standard protocol involved presurgical maxillary expansion (where necessary) and bone harvesting from the iliac crest. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The Kindelan Bone-Fill Index evaluated radiographic success with weighted kappa statistics for intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility. Two-sample t-tests were used to determine whether outcomes for ilateral and unilateral cleft lip and palate patients differed and to examine the effects of operator volume, presurgical expansion, and age at the time of grafting. RESULTS: Intraobserver (0.93 to 0.97) and interobserver (0.83 to 0.85) reproducibility were almost perfect. Grafts were successful in 76% of patients, while 23% were partial failures and 1% of cases were total failures. Patients who underwent presurgical expansion (n = 64) had statistically significantly better results (p = .046). However, there was no statistically significant effect for unilateral versus bilateral patients (p = .77), patients treated by the highest volume operator (p = .78), and patients under 11 years of age (p = .29). CONCLUSIONS: CLEFTSiS alveolar bone graft results between 2000 and 2004 were improved on the Clinical Services Advisory Group study and annual CLEFTSiS audits. Patients who underwent maxillary expansion prior to surgery were more successful.

Treatment planning in Class III malocclusion.

In Class III malocclusion, the overjet is reduced and may be reversed, with one or more incisor teeth in lingual crossbite. In the early mixed dentition, and in older patients with mild skeletal discrepancies, orthodontic treatment usually involves proclining the maxilliary anterior teeth into positive overjet. When the permanent dentition has established, orthodontic therapy is usually aimed at compensating for the underlying mild-moderate Class III skeletal discrepancy by proclining and retroclining the maxillary and mandibular incisors, respectively. In contrast, adolescent and non-growing patients with severe Class III skeletal discrepancies require a combination of orthodontic treatment and orthognathic surgery to correct the underlying skeletal pattern. Adolescent patients with moderately severe skeletal discrepancies require careful treatment planning because they are often at the limits of orthodontic compensation, and further mandibular growth may prevent a stable Class I occlusion from being maintained with growth. In this situation, treatment should be limited to aligning the maxillary arch, accepting that orthognathic surgery will be required to correct the underlying Class III skeletal discrepancy when skeletal growth has been completed. This article will inform dental professionals about the aetiology, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients with Class III malocclusions. Specifically, the types of orthodontic treatment that can be completed at the various stages of dental development and skeletal growth will be discussed.