Oral manifestations of Alagille syndrome.

Alagille syndrome (AGS) is a multisystem disorder classically involving liver and heart failure, characteristic vertebral and facial features and ocular abnormalities. AGS is caused by heterozygous mutations in JAG1 or NOTCH2, with variable phenotype penetrance. We report two cases of AGS in children with tooth defects characterised by green discolouration and hypomineralisation. The role of hyperbilirubinaemia (HB) in this atypical colour, a classical feature of AGS, has been well described. However, it does not totally explain the dental phenotype. As JAG1 and NOTCH2 mutations can affect bone development and considering common physiological pathways between bone and tooth mineralisation, both mutations could participate in this unusual dental phenotype. The role of HB and genetics in the development of the dental phenotype of AGS is discussed in two prototypical cases. Future research should focus on the underlying genetic component of tooth abnormalities.

Corrosion of some selected ceramic alloys used in fixed partial dentures and their postsolder joints in a synthetic neutral saliva.

The electrochemical behavior of several alloys used in the frameworks of fixed partial dentures and their corresponding postsolders was studied in artificial saliva as a function of chemical composition. Open circuit potentials and polarization resistances were measured. The general electrochemical behaviors between the cathodic domain and the oxidation of solvent were characterized using cyclic polarization. The possible galvanic corrosion of coupled parent and postsolder alloys was also studied. The polarization resistances were high or very high. During immersion, the noblest alloys stayed in the immunity domains of their base elements, whereas Ni-Cr alloys were quickly passivated. The oxidation of the noble elements occurred only when the alloys were exposed to very high potentials solely achievable by artificial means. However, problems of galvanic corrosion may occur between an alloy and its postsolder joint if they are both exposed to saliva. Such corrosion may lead to a weakening of the framework. The parent alloy was often potentially affected by such corrosion but with low exchange currents.