CHARGE syndrome: an overview on dental and maxillofacial features

F. Inchingolo, A. Pacifici, M. Gargari, J.I. Acitores Garcia, M. Amantea, M. Marrelli, G. Dipalma, A.M. Inchingolo, R. Rinaldi, A.D. Inchingolo, L. Pacifici, M. Tatullo

Department of  Dental Sciences and Surgery, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. f.inchingolo@uniba.it

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• Maxillofacial Surgery

OBJECTIVES: CHARGE is an acronym referring to the aspects of this rare syndromic condition. Patients with CHARGE association are today considered as subjects lacking in pathognomonic dental alterations. The present study is aimed at adding to the body of evidence of the cases reported in literature and the continuous clinical research which show a clinical picture which is strongly associated with patients afflicted by this syndrome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report a case-series of 8 patients with CHARGE syndrome. The dental features associated with CHARGE syndrome are from case-reports, but without a congruity that can lead to a definition of the dental condition typical of the CHARGE phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS: The systemic problems affecting these patients are predominant in compromising their quality of life: this is the reason for a frequent lack of a diagnostics and interceptive phase, relative to oral diseases. We report new oral pathological conditions affecting CHARGE patients. Knowledge of these pathological conditions may induce dentists to carry out specific diagnoses of these patients, thus, avoiding the deterioration of oral conditions.

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