3 Dental Problems Associated With Cleidocranial Dysplasia – And How Your Dentist Can Help

Posted on: 7 June 2016

Cleidocranial dysplasia is a rare genetic condition that effects the bones and, as a side effect, the development and appearance of the teeth. There are a few different dental problems associated with the condition and the treatment method will depend on the combination of symptoms present.

Here are a few of the ways a dentist can help treat the symptoms of cleidocranial dysplasia.

Orthodontics for Crowding

Dental crowding is a common symptom due to the late presence of baby teeth and the late emergence of adult teeth. Arriving permanent teeth won't have the proper amount of space to erupt and will thus start to cross over into neighboring spaces, which will eventually lead to a crowding problem.

Crowding is typically treated with orthodontics first to move the teeth into proper position as much as possible. In some cases, teeth are crowded so badly that a tooth or teeth will need to be extracted to provide adequate space for the remaining teeth to move into proper positioning with the aid of the braces.  

If the crowding is a major problem before all of the permanent teeth have erupted, the orthodontist can install small, temporary implant roots in the vacant spaces to keep that space open for the erupting tooth. The implants are removed once the orthodontics have finished straightening the other teeth.  

Dental Crowns for Peg Teeth

Peg teeth that have wider than usual tops with duller cusps are another common symptom. This problem is mostly a cosmetic dentistry issue and can be treated with some dental shaving, if the tooth is overly large, and then topped off with a dental crown.

A dental crown is simply a porcelain casing backed with metal that slips down over the peg tooth and is then bonded into place with a bonding compound. The crown changes the look of the tooth while also providing extra protection for the natural tooth structures inside.  

Bone Graft and Implant for Severely Weakened Tooth  

Osteoporosis is commonly present in patients with this condition. If you have a tooth that is severely weakened due to the underlying osteoporosis or due to decay or trauma, the dentist might want to remove the tooth and install a dental replacement like a dental implant. Dental implants do a better job at improving bone and gum health in the area than any other dental replacement option.

But dental implants have permanent roots that need to be implanted into your jawbone then fused into place with the healing bone. Osteoporosis makes the bone too weak for this fusing. So your dentist might want to perform a bone graft using donor bone to strengthen up the jawbone enough for the implant root to be stable. For more information, contact a dentist, like Scott W. Murphy, D.M.D., P.A.

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