Diagnosis
Anodontia can be diagnosed when a baby does not begin to develop teeth around the age of 12 to 13 months or when a child does not develop their permanent teeth by the age of 10. The dentist can use a special X-ray, such as a panoramic image, to check if there are any teeth developing. There is also a higher risk for a child to develop anodontia if their parent has this disorder as well. In the absence of all permanent teeth, anodontia will be diagnosed. If between one to five teeth are missing, this will be diagnosed as hypodontia. In the absence of six or more teeth, this will be diagnosed as oligodontia. Complications
The complications associated with anodontia can vary but the majority results in problems with aesthetic appearance, speaking, and masticatory function. Complications may occur with the placement of the dental implant. Although it is rare, some complications may include the screw of the implant becoming loose or sore spots. Prevention and Treatment
Anodontia cannot be prevented due to it being a genetic disorder. Prosthetic replacement of missing teeth is possible using dental implant technology or dentures. This treatment can be successful in giving patients with anodontia a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. The use of an implant prosthesis in the lower jaw could be recommended for younger patients as it is shown to significantly improve the craniofacial growth, social development and self-image.
Anodontia is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the congenital absence of all primary or permanent teeth. It is divided into two subsections, complete absence of teeth or only some absence of teeth. It is associated with the group of skin and nerve syndromes called the ectodermal dysplasias. Anodontia is usually part of a syndrome and seldom occurs as an isolated entity. There is usually no exact cause for anodontia. The defect results in the dental lamina obstruction during embryogenesis due to local, systemic and genetic factors. Congenital absence of permanent teeth can present as hypodontia, usually missing one or two permanent teeth, or oligodontia that is the congenital absence of six or more teeth. Congenital absence of all wisdom teeth, or third molars, is relatively common. Anodontia is the congenital absence of teeth and can occur in some or all teeth; whereas partial anodontia (or hypodontia), involves two dentitions or only teeth of the permanent dentition (Dorlands 1998). Approximately 1% of the population has oligodontia. Many denominations are attributed to this anomaly: partial anodontia, hypodontia, oligodontia, the congenital absence, anodontia, bilateral aplasia. Anodontia being the term used in controlled vocabulary Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) from MEDLINE which was developed by the United States National Library of Medicine. The congenital absence of at least one permanent tooth is the most common dental anomaly and may contribute to masticator dysfunction, speech impairment, aesthetic problems, and malocclusion (Shapiro and Farrington 1983). Absence of lateral incisors represents a major stereotype.