Palmo-plantar hyperkeratosis with periodontosis (Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome)

Papillon-Lefevre syndrome. A report of six cases in one family

Papillon-Lefevre syndrome in six Saudi children in the same family is described. The parents were unaffected, and parental consanguinity was present. Palmoplantar keratosis started at the age of 1 1/2 years. The loss of deciduous teeth was a consequence of juvenile periodontitis. All essential features of the syndrome were present in this series.

The Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome: keratosis palmoplantaris with periodontopathy. Report of a case and review of the cases in the literature

The Papillon-Lefévre syndrome (PLS) is an autosomal recessive trait characterized by diffuse transgredient palmar-plantar keratosis (PPK) and premature loss of both the deciduous and permanent teeth. In most cases, the PPK is noted within the first 3 years of life. The periodontal lesions begin shortly after the start of both the primary and the permanent dentitions. The teeth are affected in the order of their eruption, exhibiting inflammation of the periodontal tissue, bleeding of the gums, pocket formation, loosening, and finally spontaneous exfoliation without showing definite signs of root resorption. After an edentulous interval, the same process begins anew shortly after the second dentition. Ectopic intracranial calcifications, mental retardation, and increased susceptibility to infections have often been seen in PLS patients and may thus be regarded as facultative signs.