A cephalometric study in patients with Wilson’s disease

Abstract

It was previously noticed that patients with Wilson’s disease (WD) might have distinct dento-maxillo-facial structures. We performed a case-control study to investigate the characteristics of facial structure between patients with WD and healthy controls. We recruited 44 adult patients with WD and 67 healthy controls and took their lateral cephalometric films. Thirteen angular parameters were used to describe the craniofacial features and evaluated blindly. Our date showed that higher SNA angle, ANB angle, angle of convexity and lower AB angle were detected in both male and female WD group. The average SNA angle in male patient group was 84.23 ± 3.55, larger than the control group (81.52 ± 3.53, p = 0.006) and lower facial proportion was 60.87 ± 12.92%, higher than the control group (56.58 ± 2.51%, p = 0.048). The average SNA angle in female patient group was 83.20 ± 3.75, larger than that in control group (81.06 ± 3.37, p = 0.039). Female neurologically early-onset WD patients (<20 years) had larger SNtoGoGn angle (37.53 ± 5.29 vs 28.46 ± 7.10, p = 0.004), higher lower facial proportion (57.42 ± 1.65% vs 55.53 ± 1.83%, p = 0.03), larger Y-axis (65.12 ± 4.84 vs 58.47 ± 2.72, p = 0.004), larger mandibular plane angle (32.24 ± 5.32 vs 20.90 ± 5.75, p < 0.001) and lower facial angle (85.76 ± 4.36 vs 91.04 ± 2.46, p = 0.009) than the late-onset female patients. In conclusion, we found both male and female WD patients tend to bear some craniofacial features of maxillary protrusion and vertical mandibular growths pattern. Female patients with early onset age of neurological symptoms were more inclined to have vertical mandible growth and mandibular retrusion.