Early implant therapies in patients affected with ectodermal dysplasia present surgical, anatomical and physiological specificities related to growth and osseous phenotypes. The degree of skeletal and psychological maturity, the dental phenotype and the prosthetic history are essential diagnostic elements. The preoperative cross-sectional imaging CBCT provides precious information in this context; it allows a qualitative assessment and gives measurements of the osseous support of the symphysis. According to the clinical and tomographic observations, the practitioner will choose to place either small-sized regular implants or mini implants, in cases of anodontia or severe osseous hypotrophy. The fundamental difference between these two approaches is the necessity to remove the mini implants at the end of the growth and replace them with osseointegrated regular implants. Multicentric studies as well as a longer clinical and radiological hindsight are necessary to study and fully understand the behavior of these long-term mini implants. A rigorous follow-up of the osseointegration and a regular prosthetic renewal of the implant-stabilized removable prosthesis, according to the speed of growth of the skeletal bases, are necessary.
Authors : F. CLAUSS, F. OBRY, S. JUNG, J.-C. DAHLET, E. WALTMANN, A. BLOCH-ZUPAN, V. VOGT, M.-C. MANIÈRE
