Dentinogenesis Imperfecta Type II in Children: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Dentinogenesis Imperfecta type II (DI2), also known as hereditary opalescent dentin, is one of the most common genetic disorders affecting the structure of dentin, not related with osteogenesis imperfecta, which involves both primary and permanent dentitions. The purpose of this article is to perform a scoping review of the published peer-reviewed literature (1986–2017) on DI2 management in children and to outline the most relevant clinical findings extracted from this review. Forty four articles were included in the present scoping review. According to the extracted data, the following are the most important tasks to be performed in clinical pediatric dentistry: to re-establish the oral mastication, esthetics, and speech, and the development of vertical growth of alveolar bone and facial muscles; to reduce the tendency to develop caries, periapical lesions and pain; to preserve vitality, form, and size of the dentition; to avoid interfering with the eruption process of permanent teeth; to decrease the risk of tooth fractures and occlusion disturbances; to return the facial profile to a more normal appearance; and to prevent or treat possible temporomandibular joint problems. Therefore, Pediatric Dentists should bear in mind that early diagnosis and treatment, together a long-term follow-up of DI2 in children, continue to be the best approaches for achieving enhanced patient psychological well-being and, in consequence, their quality of life.