Pituitary dwarfism is a growth retardation resulting from a lack of the growth hormone which is one of the anterior pituitary hormones. This condition is often accompanied by a lack of other pituitary hormones, and requires a certain care in dental treatment.
The authors experienced dental treatment for a 9 year old boy with pituitary dwarfism. He suffered from complete lack of the growth hormone, partial lack of the thyroid hormone and depression of the adrenocorticotropic reserve. He had been given growth hormones and thyroid hormones since he was 4 years of age. Now, however, his dental age was 7 years ± months and bone age was 5 years, and was noticeably retarded.
The parents wanted to have his dental caries treated. Initial oral examination revealed nine deep cavities. The patient was also retarded mentally, and showed maladjusted behavior against dental procedures. Accordingly, he was treated under general anesthesia as the intensive dental treatment. Nine teeth (two of them required endodontic treatment) were restored. To be prevent possibility of shock accompanying this case required decrease of the adrenocorticotropic hormone. The treatment was therefore performed under steroid covering and completed smoothly.
Since then, his dental health has been maintained with the periodical dental check-up system of our hospital.