New dental findings in the median cleft facial syndrome

J Am Dent Assoc. 2005 May;136(5):631-4. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.2005.0234.

Abstract

Background: The main features of median cleft facial syndrome are hypertelorism, cranium bifidum occultum, widow's peak, and midine clefting of the nose, upper lip and palate. Since this pathology was first described in 1967, many cases have been reported in the literature, but none of these reports has addressed oral anomalies in depth.

Case description: The authors present the case of a female patient aged 4 years and 7 months who was diagnosed with median cleft facial syndrome. In this case, the patient had an abnormal number of teeth, owing to fusion or agenesis of teeth, supernumerary teeth and ectopic eruption of some teeth. These oral anomalies had not been described before in the literature as being associated with this syndrome.

Clinical implications: Median cleft facial syndrome is a rare pathology; however, dentists should know its possible alterations at an oral level, because children with this syndrome need dental treatment to achieve good esthetics and correct occlusion.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anodontia / etiology*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Craniofacial Abnormalities / complications*
  • Female
  • Fused Teeth / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Hypertelorism / complications
  • Nose / abnormalities
  • Syndrome
  • Tooth Eruption, Ectopic / etiology*
  • Tooth, Supernumerary / etiology*