The role of the dentist and the orthodontist in early diagnosis of Gorlin-Goltz syndrome: a cephalometric and photometric study.

AIM: The aim of this study was to analyse the facial characteristics and the craniofacial morphology in GGS patients in order to enable an early diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Gorlin-Goltz syndrome (GGS) is a autosomic dominant disease, characterised by basal cell carcinoma, palmar/plantar pits, maxillary and mandibular keratocysts and dental abnormalities.

METHODS: Nine out of a sample of 24 GGS patients had complete cephalometric and photographic records at an average age of 8.7 years. Cephalometric and photometric analysis were carried out with standard analyses and compared with healthy patients matched for sex and age.

CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis of GGS based on clinical features could be useful to identify the presence of keratocysts through x-ray examination proceeding with surgical removal at an early stage, limiting space occupying damages.