Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of transplantation, as well as the immunosuppressive agents employed in liver transplantation (LT) and kidney transplantation (KT) patients, on the incidence of dental caries, tooth-bone anomalies, and dental age.
Methods: The records of 175 pediatric patients who underwent LT and KT at Baskent University between 2011 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Ninety-two patients whose data were available were included in this study. The demographic characteristics of the patients, the immunosuppressive agents they used, and their orthopantomographies were examined. The patients’ dental ages were calculated via the Demirjian method, and DMFT (permanent teeth) and dmft (primary teeth) values were determined [total number of teeth extracted and filled due to caries, caries]. The Mann‒Whitney U test and Chi-square test were used for analysis.
Results: Of the patients, 71% underwent LT, and 29% underwent KT. There was no difference between the DMFT and dmft values according to transplantation type (p>0.05). Dental caries were more common in LT patients (p=0.006). No significant relationship was found between dental age and transplanted organ type (p>0.05). In terms of odontogenic and jaw anomalies, tubercle deformities were observed in KT patients (p=0.033). Additionally, those with teeth and jaw anomalies used more mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) daily (p=0.008).
Conclusions: The present study indicates that dental caries are more prevalent among patients undergoing long-term immunosuppression, irrespective of the specific immunosuppressive agent or its dosage. Furthermore, the dosage of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) appears to influence the occurrence of dental and jaw anomalies. These findings underscore the necessity for enhanced monitoring of transplant recipients in clinical practice.