Oro-palatal dysplasia Bettex–Graf – Clinical findings, genetic background, treatment

Oro-palatal dysplasia Bettex–Graf is an extremely rare syndrome consisting of microstomia, U-shaped cleft palate and micrognathia. Only two affected families have been reported before. We present the clinical findings, treatment and 13 year follow-up in a patient with this rare syndrome. The possible linkage to the fragile site 16q22 has been supported, contrary to earlier statements of its non-pathogenic character. The analysis of clinical symptoms and reference to the literature suggests, that ankyloglossia is a part of oropalatal dysplasia, whereas hypodontia is associated with the cleft itself. The authors postulate that a 20 mm intercommissural distance allows acceptable function without the need for surgical correction.