Clinical and microstructural aberrations of enamel of deciduous and permanent teeth in patients with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy

Arch Oral Biol. 2009 Jul;54(7):658-65. doi: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2009.03.009. Epub 2009 Apr 24.

Abstract

Objective: Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) causes multiple endocrine deficiencies, oral candidiasis and different forms of ectodermal dystrophy including enamel hypoplasia, documented in permanent teeth. Our purpose was to examine dental aberrations associated with APECED, including possible manifestations in primary teeth.

Design: We studied clinically, radiographically, and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) teeth of children belonging to two APECED families with different mutations in the AIRE gene.

Results: In addition to enamel defects in the permanent teeth we observed hypoplastic pits and hypomaturated patches in the deciduous teeth with underlying changes in the prismatic ultrastructure. The enamel of the permanent molars exhibited a layered arrangement with included whirl-like formations.

Conclusions: Our findings confirm that APECED causes enamel defects that are individually but chronologically distributed, and can alter enamel development early enough to affect deciduous teeth.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • AIRE Protein
  • Adolescent
  • Amelogenesis / genetics
  • Arginine / genetics
  • Asparagine / genetics
  • Child
  • Cuspid / abnormalities
  • Cytosine
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Dental Enamel / abnormalities*
  • Dental Enamel / ultrastructure
  • Dental Enamel Hypoplasia / pathology
  • Dentin / abnormalities
  • Female
  • Gene Deletion
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Methionine / genetics
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Molar / abnormalities
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune / genetics
  • Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune / pathology*
  • Thymine
  • Tooth, Deciduous / abnormalities*
  • Tooth, Deciduous / ultrastructure
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Zinc Fingers / genetics

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Asparagine
  • Cytosine
  • Arginine
  • Methionine
  • Thymine