Symmetry of the external acoustic meatus: A potential alternative reference plane for three-dimensional imaging in dentistry.

Objective: In this study, we thoroughly analyzed how balanced the left and right sides of the external acoustic meatus are. Despite previous research focusing on the consistency of various anatomical features and the shape of the external acoustic meatus, which are important for creating guidelines to assess changes in the skull, there hasn't been enough attention given to how symmetrical it is. Our aim was to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive examination of its bilateral symmetry, which is crucial for accurate evaluations in dentistry and medicine. Study design: After importing 26 cone-beam computed tomography scans of patients into the ITK-SNAP 3D imaging software, a midsagittal plane was set up as the plane of symmetry for each patient. With this plane, we compared the positions of the most superior and inferior left and right points of the external acoustic meatus. We also compared the lengths and depths of the lines connecting the two points. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the position, length, or depth of the external acoustic meatus between the right and left halves of the skull. Conclusion: Specific points on the skull, such as the highest (most superior MSP) and lowest (most inferior MIP) points, demonstrated a high degree of symmetry in the left and right halves. They demonstrated sufficient symmetry to establish a reliable reference plane. Along with the trajectory connecting them, these points can serve as viable alternatives to the Porion for three-dimensional imaging.

Children with an Anorectal Malformation Going to Primary School: The Parent's Perspective.

BACKGROUND: Continence problems occur often in children with anorectal malformations (ARM). The aim of this study was to evaluate parental experiences with toilet facilities at Dutch primary schools and their experience with how schools deal with ARM children. METHODS: This survey was developed in collaboration with the national patient advocacy group (PAG). Recruitment for participation was conducted by the PAG (email listing and social media) and one expertise center for ARM. Participants were parents of school-attending ARM children aged 3 to 12 years. RESULTS: Sixty-one participants (31.9%) responded to the survey. The median age of the children was 7.0 years (IQR 5.0-9.0). Schools were often located in a village (63.9%) and encompassed 100-500 children (77.0%). In total, 14 parents (23.0%) experienced difficulties in finding a primary school. Experiences with the school were described as solely positive (37.7%), solely negative (9.8%), positive and negative (34.4%), and neither positive nor negative (16.4%). Regarding school toilet facilities, 65.6% of the toilets were reported clean and 78.7% were easily accessible. CONCLUSIONS: About 25% of parents reported difficulties in enrolling their children into primary school, and 45% reported negative experiences. This highlights the need for improved guidance and the optimization of education in schools when dealing with ARM children.