Evaluation of Dental Development and Prevalence of Dental Anomalies in Patients with Beta Talassemia Major

Several studies have been done on the effect of Thalassemia Major on craniofacial skeleton. Its effect on dental development however, has rarely been studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate dental development as well as prevalence of dental anomalies in patients with beta Talassemia Major in comparison with control group. In this case control study, apprived by ethical committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, panoramic radiographs of 120 Talassemic patients were assessed. The case group consisted of 68 males and 52 females ranging in age from 8-19 with mean age of 12.98±2.66 years. 120 control individuals matched for age and sex. Radiographs were assessed for prevalence of dental anomalies and dental age. Fisher's exact test was used to compare prevalence of dental anomalies between case and control groups. Dental and chronological ages were compared using paired t-test. Independent t-test was used to compare dental ages between case and control groups. Microdontia, missing, tarudontism and short spiky roots were more prevalent in Talassemic patients. There was not either a significant difference between the mean of dental and chronological ages in Talassemic patients or between mean of dental age of Talassemia and control individuals. According to the present study, dental anomalies are more common in Thalassemic patients in comparison with normal individuals. Dental developments as well as time of eruption however, were not affected by Thalassemia.