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Rare dental disease may leave boy toothless

By JP du Plessis
GAUTENG – A rare case of Anodontia, a genetically inherited dental disease, has left a seven-year-old Boksburg resident with little to smile about.
Bennie Marais was diagnosed with the disease two weeks ago, while he was having a check-up at the Boksburg Medicross, leaving dentist Dr Peet Badenhorst with no option but to pull out all his permanent teeth.
“This is a very rare disease which stops the teeth from forming enamel,” said Dr Badenhorst.
“Bennie is left with two options: he can get dentures, which can be fitted only when he is 10 years old, or have implants, at an estimated initial cost of R50 000.”
Dr Badenhorst came across Bennie after offering to assist the Lona Kruger Feeding Scheme, which provides food for underprivileged children and their families in the Boksburg area.
“The Boksburg Medicross was very generous in assisting us with dental check-ups for these children, none of whom can afford the fees of a dentist,” said Lona Kruger, founder of the feeding scheme.
“Bennie is one of the children we assist and it was during his check-up that the disease was discovered.”
Dr Badenhorst is launching a campaign to try to raise the estimated R50 000 needed for the initial tooth implants. “Without implants, he will have no teeth for three years,” said Kruger.
“This would be a traumatic experience for a child of this age, and we are going to do everything in our power to raise the money.”
Dr Badenhorst has already set the ball rolling with a cycle-race to Durban. “The race will raise funds for Bennie and will be held early in the new year,” he said.
By Paper Clip at 2006-10-03 14:53 | Paper Clip's blog | login or register to post comments | 1602 reads