Noonan syndrome in 12-year-old male: Case report and orthodontic management of the occlusion

Background/Aim: Noonan syndrome (NS) is an autosomal dominant disorder, caused by mutations on genes located on the long arm of chromosome 12. The condition has no sex or race predilection and its incidence is 1 per 1,000 - 2,500 live births. Individuals affected with Noonan syndrome have distinctive facial features, hypertelorism, short stature, congenital heart disease; mainly pulmonary stenosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, chest deformities, variable learning disabilities and mental retardation. Orofacial findings in Noonan syndrome may be high-arched palate, micrognathia, dental malocclusion and articulation difficulties. Case report: The present article reports on a male case of 12 years old, referred for treatment in the orthodontic office. Despite the difficulties of hyperactivity, the light mental delay and the gag reflex, the treatment was completed satisfactorily with fixed orthodontic appliances in 15 months. Both the patient and his parents were happy with the results. The patient is presently undergoing the retention period of this orthodontic treatment. Conclusions: Despite the difficulties of treating a child with a genetic syndrome for his/her malocclusion, the reported case presented in this article proves that it is always worth trying for the benefit of the patient.