FREQUENCY OF NATAL, NEONATAL AND EARLY INFANCY TEETH IN PATIENTS WITH CLEFT LIP AND PALATE IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Objective was to determine the frequency and morphological features of natal, neonatal and early infancy teeth in patients with cleft lip and palate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

It was a descriptive cross-sectional study and it was carried out at the Department of Orthodontics, Peshawar Dental College and Hospital.

A total of 47 patients with Cleft lip and palate (both unilateral and bilateral), male and female, aged 6 months and below referred to the Department of Orthodontics (for naso-alveolar molding) Peshawar Dental College & Hospital from various hospitals across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were examined for natal/neonatal/early infancy teeth and data was recorded using a proforma. Data were collected in four and a half month duration (February 2022 to June 2022). Among 47 subjects (31 male and 16 females), one natal, 2 early infancy teeth, and 3 neonatal teeth were observed in six babies. Only 16.6% of the teeth were in the anterior mandibular area, with the anterior maxillary region being the most common location. Amongst the sample, cleft lip and palate was the most frequent type of cleft found (76.6%) with mostly being unilateral (70.2%) and on the left side (46.8%). The majority of the teeth were single (83.3%) and color ranged from yellowish brown (50%) to whitish opaque (50%) while 2 teeth (1 natal, and 1 early infancy tooth) were smaller in size. Both of the early infancy teeth were conical in shape. Sixteen percent of the babies with teeth were observed with Riga Fede’s disease while only 33% of the patients were reported having discomfort during suckling due to early infancy teeth.

Natal, neonatal and early infancy teeth occured in 12.76 % of babies with cleft lip and palate and most of these teeth was found in anterior maxilla.