Use of titanium screw implants for Ectodermal Dysplasia patients

Ectodermal Dysplasia is a genetic birth defect that has origin during the fetal life, probably around the third or fourth month, because of a failure of the growth. This work focuses on the importance which has interdisciplinary consultation and collaboration between specialists in various branches of dentistry. This study has utilized 27 patients divided into two experimental groups: the former included 9 E.D. patients, 7 men and 2 women, aged 15 to 45; the latter consisted of 18 patients, 10 men and 8 women, aged 16 to 45, with missing teeth because of agenesis, extractions, or trauma. In all the patients have been inserted osseointegrated titanium implants, rehabilitating them from both esthetical and functional points of view. The two groups had poor esthetics, reduced occlusal vertical dimension; decreased alveolar bone malocclusions. The E.D. patients show a lack of alveolar bone both in height and in width, above all the mandibular ridge often presents a knife-edge contour, which make difficult ideal implants placement. The clinical investigation has demonstrated that the osseointegration rates of implant fixtures in the jawbones of E.D. patients approaches that of non-E.D. edentulous patients.