Seeing the unseen: diagnosing acromegaly in a dental setup

Abstract

Acromegaly is a rare metabolic condition in adults caused due to over secretion of growth hormone mostly due to pituitary gland adenomas.Disproportionate skeletal, tissue and organ growth are characteristic of acromegaly but the changes may be so insidious that most of the times go unnoticed by the patient and family. Craniofacial soft tissue and skeletal changes including mandibular prognathism and disturbed occlusion are typical manifestations of the disease process. Dental professionals may be the first healthcare providers to be visited by these patients and thereby prove instrumental in early diagnosis. Here we report the diagnosis of a case of acromegaly in a dental setup.