Early detection and management of Gorlin-Goltz Syndrome: The dentists’ role

The aim of this work is to underline the importance of the dentists in the contribution to the early diagnosis of Gorlin-Goltz Syndrome (GGS), avoiding and preventing so the orofacial and systemic complications. 11 GGS patients, 5-18 years of age, 7 females, 4 males, had undergone to a multidisciplinary treatment. In 8 cases the GGS has been detected by dentists. The main symptoms are: recurrent multiple jaw keratocysts, basal cell naevi of the skin, craniofacial asymmetry, hypertelorism, prognatism, hyphoscoliosis. Diagnosis of the syndrome in childhood has been of great importance, because the early treatment contributed to avoid and reduce destruction of the jawbones and prevented severe complications in other organs. The dentists have a great responsability to detect GGS, finding signs through the radiographs used in dentistry. The approach must be multidisciplinary between different specialists of Dentistry and Medicine, for prevention of severe malocclusions, craniofacial and systemic tumors.