Genetic variants in tooth agenesis-related genes might be also involved in tooth size variations.

Cunha, Arthur S; Dos Santos, Luiza Vertuan; Marañón-Vásquez, Guido Artemio; Kirschneck, Christian; Gerber, Jennifer Tsi; Stuani, Maria Bernadete; Matsumoto, Mírian Aiko Nakane; Vieira, Alexandre Rezende; Scariot, Rafaela; Küchler, Erika Calvano

OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to evaluate if genetic variants in PAX9, MSX1, TGFα, FGF3, FGF10, FGF13, GLI2 and GLI3 are involved in TS of permanent teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS Pretreatment dental records from orthodontic patients were assessed prior to recruitment. Patients with tooth agenesis and congenital anomalies (including oral cleft) and/or syndromes were excluded. Dental casts were used to measure the maximum crown dimensions of all fully erupted permanent teeth except second and third molars in mesiodistal direction. Teeth with caries, occlusal wear, mesiodistal restorations, and obvious deformities were not evaluated. Genomic DNA samples were used for genotyping. The allelic discrimination of 13 genetic variants was performed. The associations between TS and genotype were analyzed by linear regression, adjusted by gender at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS Genetic polymorphisms in the tooth agenesis-related genes studied here were associated with increased and decreased TS, in both maxilla and mandible (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION This study reported associations of novel tooth agenesis-related gene variants with permanent tooth size variations. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The presence of some genetic variants could allow the prediction of permanent tooth size.