Microdontia and hypodontia of premolars and permanent molars in childhood cancer survivors after chemotherapy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Adverse long-term general and dental health effects of cancer and cancer therapy during childhood have been reported.

AIM:

To examine the association between chemotherapy before the age of 8 years and (1): microdontia; (2): hypodontia of premolars and permanent molars.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

In The Danish Registry of Childhood Cancer (DBCR), we identified 203 children who met the following inclusion criteria: (1) age below 8 years at the start of treatment; (2) age between 12 to 18 years upon dental examination; (3) had received chemotherapy The exclusion criterion was radiotherapy to the head and neck. A total of 150 children fulfilled the inclusion criteria. As controls, a random sample of 193 age-matched unexposed children was included.

RESULTS:

Microdontia was found in a total of 88 teeth in 29 (19.3%) of the 150 children who had been exposed to chemotherapy, while none of the controls had microdontia of premolars or permanent molars (difference: 19.3%; 95% CL: 13.5%; 26.4%). The earlier the exposure, the more frequent was microdontia. We found a total of 27 missing premolars and permanent molars in 14 (9.3%) of the exposed children and a total of 18 missing premolars and permanent molars in 8 (4.1%) of the controls (difference: 5.2%; 95% CL: -0.1%; 11.3%).

CONCLUSION:

The present study confirms findings from previous studies that chemotherapy, especially in very young children, causes microdontia and hypodontia of premolars and permanent molars.

• Authors: Lisbeth Bønløkke Pedersen, Niels Clausen, Henrik Schrøder, Malene Schmidt, Sven Poulsen
• Journal: International journal of paediatric dentistry (Int J Paediatr Dent) Vol. 22 Issue 4 Pg. 239-43 (Jul 2012) ISSN: 1365-263X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22092748 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © 2011 BSPD, IAPD and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Topics

• Adolescent
• Age Factors
• Anodontia (chemically induced)
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (adverse effects)
• Autonomic Nervous System Diseases (drug therapy)
• Bicuspid (abnormalities)
• Case-Control Studies
• Child
• Denmark
• Humans
• Kidney Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Leukemia (drug therapy)
• Liver Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Lymphoma (drug therapy)
• Molar (abnormalities)
• Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Nervous System Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Survivors