Prenatal ultrasound and postmortem histologic evaluation of tooth germs: an observational, transversal study

Abstract

IntroductionHypodontia is the most frequent developmental anomaly of the orofacial complex, and its detection in prenatal ultrasound may indicate the presence of congenital malformations, genetic syndromes and chromosomal abnormalities.To date, only a few studies have evaluated the histological relationship of human tooth germs identified by two-dimensional (2D) ultrasonography. In order to analyze whether two-dimensional ultrasonography of tooth germs may be successfully used for identifying genetic syndromes, prenatal ultrasound images of fetal tooth germs obtained from a Portuguese population sample were compared with histological images obtained from fetal autopsies.MethodsObservational, descriptive, transversal study. The study protocol followed the ethical principles outlined by the Helsinki Declaration and was approved by the Ethics Committee of the School of Dental Medicine, University of Porto (FMDUP, Porto, Portugal) and of the Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho (CHVNG/EPE, Porto, Portugal) as well as by the CGC Genetics Embryofetal Pathology Laboratory. Eighty-five fetuses examined by prenatal ultrasound screening from May 2011 to August 2012 had an indication for autopsy following spontaneous fetal death or medical termination of pregnancy. Of the 85 fetuses, 37 (43.5%) were randomly selected for tooth germ evaluation by routine histopathological analysis. Fetuses who were up to 30 weeks of gestation, and whose histological pieces were not representative of all maxillary tooth germs was excluded. Twenty four fetus between the 13th and 30th weeks of gestation fulfilled the parameters to autopsy.ResultsTwenty four fetuses were submitted to histological evaluation and were determined the exact number, morphology, and mineralization of their tooth germs. All tooth germs were identifiable with ultrasonography as early as the 13th week of gestation. Of the fetuses autopsied, 41.7% had hypodontia (29.1% maxillary hypodontia and 20.9% mandibular hypodontia).ConclusionsThis results indicate that prenatal ultrasound is a reliable method for detecting of hypodontia an early gestational ages. Further studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these results.

Reliability of prenatal detection of X‐linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia by tooth germ sonography

“…Tooth germ sonography may, however, be applicable more broadly. Prenatal assessment of facial features via two‐dimensional ultrasound has become an important part of screening for fetal abnormalities; as oligodontia is associated with fetal pathology in a substantial number of cases, visualization of alveolar structures has been assigned a larger role in prenatal diagnostics . Of course, we recognize that under such circumstances—without prior indication of EDA gene involvement—the measures of test performance reported here will not apply, since the prior probability that the cause is a pathogenic EDA variant will be much smaller.…”

A Comparison of Coronal Tooth Discoloration Elicited by Various Endodontic Reparative Materials MTA Plus, Bio MTA+, and Biodentine: An Ex Vivo Study

“…The Biodentine material shows high impact upon numerous factors like absorption, strength, and density, as it contains more amount of powder with water-reducing agent and less porosity. 13 Camilleri et al in 2013 concluded Biodentine and IRM exhibited the lowest level or degree of porosity and less amount of tooth discoloration. 14 …”

Prenatal sonographic evidence of hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia and postnatal genetic testing of a family line of child

“…Such fetal findings were confirmed after birth by genetic testing. Fetal tooth germs can be visualized via ultrasound as early as 13 weeks of gestation ( 3 ), and it is customary for a healthy fetus to exhibit at least 6 dental germs in one alveolar bone ( 4 ). Recent research even suggests that ultrasonographic examination can reveal up to 10 dental germs in a healthy fetus ( 3 ).…”