Craniofacial repercussions in maxillary lateral incisors agenesis.

Objectives: Assessment of the influence of maxillary lateral incisor agenesis (MLIA) on the facial morphogenesis.

Methods: Evaluation of the skeletal dimensions of the upper maxilla and its incisor region. Analysis was performed among three groups: individuals with MLIA, its relatives and the normal population. Among these a comparison between adults and growing individuals was performed.

Results: MLIA may interfere with the maxillary length and the anterosuperior facial height, negatively conditioning on its potential growth. MLIA was not correlated with changes of the palatine plane inclination, maxillary height nor with adjustment of the anterior nasal spine dimensions related to the Frankfurt plan or to the posterior nasal spine-Frankfurt plan during the observed development stage; the backward angle of the incisors in children with bilateral agenesis of lateral incisors appear to have been corrected in adulthood.

Conclusions: MLIA is associated with an upper maxilla shortening, and appear to interfere significantly with the anterior facial height, reducing its potential size.