A Child with Cayler Cardio-facial Syndrome : A Case Report

Abstract

Cayler cardio-facial syndrome is associated with an asymmetric crying face and congenital heart disease. The asymmetric crying face is due to congenital hypoplasia of the depressor angulioris muscle. Asymmetry of the lower lip is especially evident during mouth opening or crying. There are no reports on oral findings in patients with Cayler cardio-facial syndrome. We experienced a child with Cayler cardio-facial syndrome, and report on our examination including oral findings.

The child with Cayler cardio-facial syndrome was a boy aged 3 years and 3 months at the first visit. He was diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect at birth, but it closed spontaneously at one year old. His face appeared symmetrical when resting, but left-right asymmetry was observed during mouth opening and crying. He had no problems with functions such as pronunciation, predation, chewing, and swallowing. His terminal plane was efferent on the left and vertical on the right, with deciduous canine occlusion type I and he had a clinically normal occlusion. His dental arch width did not show a clear laterality. He also had facial asymmetry in mouth opening at 7 years old. He did not need special care in dental treatment because the ventricular septal defect closed spontaneously.

One-sided hypoplasia or deficiency of the depressor angulioris muscle in Cayler cardio-facial syndrome is considered to have no effect on the oral cavity. However, if the dentist finds a patient with an asymmetric crying face, it is considered that the dentist should ask about the presence or absence of heart disease.