Relationship between skeletal maturity indicators and dental calcification stages in a sample pediatric population.

Context: Human growth shows considerable variation. In addition to constitutional differences in the timing of maturation, there are diseases, systemic disorders and environmental factors that may affect a child's physiologic maturity. Interrelationships among skeletal, somatic and sexual maturity have been shown to be consistently strong. The study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between dental calcification stages and skeletal maturity indicators. Materials and Methods: The hand wrist radiographs, the lateral cephalogram and the orthopantomogram (OPG) of 120 patients (60 males and 60 females, age group 8-14 years) were taken. The hand wrist radiographs were analyzed using Fishman's skeletal maturity index (SMI), and the cephalograms analyzed by cervical vertebrae maturation (CVM) by Baccetti. OPG was analyzed according to the Demirjian's system. Result: On assessment, cervical vertebrae maturation indicator (CVMI) staging showed significant results with a correlation coefficient of 0.716 being the highest in canines in males while assessment of dental calcification stages and its comparison with skeletal maturity indicator showed insignificant results. The correlation coefficient values were 0.11, 0.09, 0.09 and 0.13 for canine, first premolar, second premolar and second molar respectively. Conclusion: There is a strong correlation between the maturation stage of cervical vertebrae and calcification stages of canine, first premolar, second premolar and second molar as determined by Demirjian's method.

An Assessment of the Prevalence of Dental Caries, Oral Hygiene Status, Deft Index, and Oral Hygiene Habits Among Children With Special Healthcare Needs.

Background and objective Children with special healthcare needs are at an increased risk of oral health problems, including dental caries. Understanding the prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene status, deft (decayed, extracted, filled teeth) index, and oral hygiene habits in this population is crucial for effective oral healthcare planning and interventions. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene status, deft index, and oral hygiene habits among children aged 4-15 years with special healthcare needs in Jodhpur District, Rajasthan, India. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 124 children from various, government and non-governmental organizations (NGO)-run special schools. Data on dental caries, oral hygiene status, deft index, and oral hygiene habits were collected using standardized tools and techniques. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were used to analyze the data. Results The prevalence of dental caries among children with special healthcare needs was 65%. The severity of dental caries varied, with 40% classified as mild, 20% as moderate, and 5% as severe. Additionally, 75% of the children exhibited poor oral hygiene, as indicated by the oral hygiene status assessment. The mean deft index score was 2.8, indicating an average dental caries experience among the participants. Regarding oral hygiene habits, 60% reported brushing their teeth once a day, while 40% reported brushing twice a day. However, a significant proportion (70%) reported non-fluoride use, and 55% stated they did not perform regular flossing. Conclusion This study highlights a high prevalence of dental caries, poor oral hygiene status, and suboptimal oral hygiene habits among children with special healthcare needs in Jodhpur District. The findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions focusing on preventive measures, oral health education, and improving access to oral healthcare for this vulnerable population. Further research with larger sample sizes and longitudinal study designs is warranted to validate these findings and develop effective strategies for enhancing oral health outcomes in children with special healthcare needs.

Assessment of correlation between dental calcification stages and skeletal maturity indicators.

INTRODUCTION: Assessment of age is a critical step in the identification of an individual in forensic cases. The hand-wrist radiographic evaluation and tooth development is also a useful measure of maturity because it represents a series of recognizable changes that occur in the same sequence from an initial event to a constant end point. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the relationship of dental calcification stages and skeletal maturity indicators as assessed by the hand-wrist bone radiograph. OBJECTIVES: (1) Correlation of dental calcification stages and skeletal maturation. Information for decision-making in treatment plan in growing patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional pilot study was performed using orthopantomograph (OPG) and hand-wrist radiographs of fifty children (25 males and 25 females) with age ranging from 8 to 14 years. The hand-wrist radiographs and OPG were analyzed using Fishman's Skeletal Maturity Index and the Demirjian's system, respectively. SPSS software version 19 (IBM) was used in the calculation of all statistical analyses. RESULTS: Correlation coefficient ranged from 0.61 to 0.83 for males and from 0.81 to 0.86 for females. The canine stage F for both sexes coincided with the MP3 stage, which is indicative of the onset of a period of accelerating growth. CONCLUSION: The findings of this pilot study indicated that tooth calcification stages might be clinically used as a maturity indicator of the pubertal growth period.

Hemisection: A conservative management of periodontally involved molar tooth in a young patient.

Hemisection is sectioning of multi-rooted teeth with its crown portion, with the loss of periodontal attachment and is performed to retain the original tooth structure and attain the fixed prosthodontic prosthesis. We describe hemisection of a mandibular molar tooth followed by adequate restoration in a young patient.