Dental and orthodontic management of patients with Apert and Crouzon syndromes.

Patients with Crouzon and Apert syndromes exhibit particular orofacial features in combination with the craniofacial skeletal discrepancy that requires reconstructive surgical maneuvers at various stages of development. To maximize positive surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction, an interdisciplinary approach, including pediatric dentistry and orthodontics, within a developmental context is needed. Routine dental care is provided in conjunction with ongoing surgical and orthodontic treatment during all phases of the reconstructive process. The goal of orthodontic treatment in the mixed dentition is to resolve issues related to the aberrant eruption of the permanent teeth and favorably influence the occlusion when early midface advancement is planned. Orthodontic treatment during adolescence always is needed to prepare these patients for orthognathic surgery, which usually involves extraction orthodontics within the maxillary arch. Postsurgical orthodontic management is an important component of the definitive occlusal correction after orthognathic surgical procedures.