Open AccessThe genetic basis of tooth agenesis: Basic concepts and genes involved
Author(s) -
Sharat Chandra Pani
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of the indian society of pedodontics and preventive dentistry/journal of indian society of pedodontics and preventive dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.378
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1998-3905
pISSN - 0970-4388
DOI - 10.4103/0970-4388.84677
Subject(s) - hypodontia , agenesis , dentition , craniofacial , holoprosencephaly , anodontia , medicine , genetics , biology , dentistry , anatomy , pregnancy , fetus
Tooth agenesis is the most prevalent craniofacial congenital malformation in humans. While tooth agenesis may be associated with several syndromes, non-syndromic hypodontia refers to the congenital absence of a few teeth in the absence of any other deformity. Recent advances in molecular genetics have made it possible to identify the exact genes responsible for the development of teeth and trace the mutations that cause hypodontia. This paper reviews the literature regarding the genetic basis of non-syndromic tooth agenesis, methods used to study it, and the genes that have been definitively implicated in the agenesis of human dentition.