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. 2020 Jun 25:12:233-240.
doi: 10.2147/CCIDE.S231670. eCollection 2020.

Review of Etiology of Posterior Open Bite: Is There a Possible Genetic Cause?

Affiliations

Review of Etiology of Posterior Open Bite: Is There a Possible Genetic Cause?

Wei Huang et al. Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. .

Abstract

Posterior open bite (POB) is one of the most severe malocclusions that can impair patients' masticatory functions, yet it is also a condition that is poorly understood and not well studied. Most reported cases are either sporadic or idiosyncratic with a diverse yet poorly understood etiology. Although primary failure of eruption (PFE), lateral tongue thrust, and certain medical syndromes or pathology of the temporomandibular joints have all been shown to cause POB, the complex interplay of environmental and genetic factors makes its etiopathogenesis a difficult subject to understand and investigate. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the etiology of posterior open bite. Additionally, a genetic cause for POB is proposed through a report of an apparently non-syndromic familial case series with high POB penetrance across two generations. Further investigations of the gene(s) and mechanism(s) involved can not only provide a unique opportunity to better understand POB and the intricate muscular-occlusal relationship, but also offer powerful insight into the most effective approaches to clinical management of these (and potentially other) malocclusions.

Keywords: etiology; genetic; malocclusion; posterior open bite.

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Conflict of interest statement

Wei Huang and Bo Shan are co-first authors for this study. The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pre-treatment records of patient MM1: (A) extraoral and intraoral photos; (B) panoramic radiograph; (C) cephalometric radiograph; (D) cephalometric measurements.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Pre-treatment records of patient MM2: (A) extraoral and intraoral photos; (B) panoramic radiograph; (C) cephalometric radiograph; (D) cephalometric measurements.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pre-treatment records of patient MM3: (A) extraoral and intraoral photos; (B) panoramic radiograph; (C) cephalometric radiograph; (D) cephalometric measurements.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Pedigree of the M family.

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