Report of four familial cases with congenitally missing mandibular incisors

Abstract

Heredity is one of the possible factors associated with congenitally missing mandibular incisors. We report four cases - a mother and three daughters - in an attempt to examine this hypothesis. Different treatment modalities have been used to treat malocclusions stemming from this problem The treatment philosophy of consolidating mandibular spaces and obtaining a stable occlusion, thereby preventing the removal of maxillary teeth or the use of a mandibular prosthesis, is presented.