Ectopic teeth with disparate migration: A literature review and new case series.

Purpose: Ectopic eruption can be defined as the emergence of a tooth in an abnormal location, where the tooth does not follow its typical eruption pathway. While ectopic eruption within the dentate region is well-documented in the literature, ectopic eruption in non-dentate regions is relatively rare. This study aimed to report 6 cases of ectopic teeth and present a systematic review of the English-language literature on ectopic teeth, emphasizing demographic characteristics, radiographic features, potential complications, and treatment options. Materials and Methods: A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. The demographic data and radiographic findings of patients presenting with ectopic teeth were recorded. Results: The literature review yielded 61 cases of ectopic teeth, with patients ranging in age from 3 to 74 years. The findings from these previously reported cases demonstrated that the most common location for ectopic teeth was the maxillary sinus, which is consistent with this case series. The Pearson chi-square test was performed to evaluate the correlation between age and location of ectopic teeth, and the results were found to be statistically significant (P<0.05). However, no statistically significant relationship was observed between sex and the location of ectopic teeth. Conclusion: The distinct features of these cases warrant reporting. This study presents the first case of supernumerary teeth in the condyle without any associated pathosis. Another notable characteristic is the pre-eruptive resorption of 2 inverted supernumerary teeth ectopically located in the palate, which predisposes to sinus opacification.

Maxillary mucormycosis and concurrent osteomyelitis in a post-COVID-19 patient with new onset diabetes mellitus.

The occurrence of invasive fungal respiratory superinfections in patients with COVID-19 has gained much attention in the post-COVID era. The elucidation of invasive fungal sinusitis with osteomyelitis as a rare aggressive infection that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent fatal consequences has been noteworthy. Cone-beam computed tomography findings in those patients are central to early diagnosis and management. Here we report a case of post-COVID mucormycosis with osteomyelitis of the maxilla in a 72-year-old woman with a history of recently diagnosed diabetes mellitus.

Influence of maternal periodontal health as a risk factor for low-birth-weight infants in Terai population of Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Preterm low birth weight (PLBW) is a leading perinatal problem in developing countries. PLBW is considered as a leading cause of neonatal death in the 1st year of life, with problems in childhood and adulthood. Several studies have suggested a possible relationship between PLBW and periodontal status of the expectant mothers. The present study was conducted to determine the association between the maternal periodontitis and the low birth weight (BW) of the babies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study consisted of 200 primipara mothers ranging between 18 and 35 years old, with a mean age of 23.96 years. The mothers were categorized based on the weight of the infants as cases (BW <2500 g) and as controls (BW ≥2500 g). Age, mean weight, height, body mass index, and periodontal status of the mothers as well as weight of the babies were recorded. Periodontal parameters were assessed using the community periodontal index (CPI). The data were recorded, analyzed, and statistically compared using the Chi-square test (χ 2). RESULTS: BW of the babies was regressed against CPI. Periodontitis was significantly associated with decrease in BW of the babies (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our findings showed an association of maternal periodontal disease with PLBW that emphasizes to promote good oral hygiene of the expectant mothers during routine prenatal visits.

Prevalence of areca nut chewing habit among high school children of Parsa district of Nepal.

AIM: Consumption of areca nut products among school going children has become very common social evil in some areas of Nepal especially adjoining the Indian subcontinent. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of areca nut chewing habit among high school children in Terai belt of Nepal. The use of areca nut has become indigenous in this part and is being used by itself and in various formulations. The regular use of areca nut has been recognized as being carcinogenic to humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on areca nut chewing habit among high school children was collected from 1359 students of age group 14-18 years from 13 schools of Parsa district of Nepal by random selection and the information was obtained from self administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The results from this study shows that the areca nut chewing habit is significant among the students of Parsa district (30.4%) and the frequency of chewing plain Supari was reported to be high (81.6%) followed by pan masala (10.4%) and gutkha (08.0%) and the habit increased with age. CONCLUSION: It is mandatory to motivate the children not to initiate the habit and to enable the adolescent children to realize the potential health risk of areca nut products.

Evaluation of genotoxicity in patients subjected to panoramic radiography by micronucleus assay on epithelial cells of the oral mucosa.

OBJECTIVE: Radiography is one of the most valuable diagnostic tools used in comprehensive dental care. Although there is no safe level of radiation exposure, the possible risk associated with exposure to radiation, must be elucidated. To date, a variety of assays have been proposed to assess the mutagenic potential of genotoxicants; however, these methods are typically laborious and time consuming. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible genotoxic effect of routinely used panoramic radiation exposure in exfoliated epithelial cells as measured by the formation of micronuclei and to compare the genotoxicity of X-rays on keratinized epithelial gingival cells and the nonkeratinized buccal epithelial cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 53 healthy individuals with a mean age of 25.21 ±12.67 years. Specimens of exfoliated epithelial cells were collected from patients subjected to panoramic radiography before and 10 days after radiation exposure. The cells were stained with Giemsa and evaluated for micronuclei by scoring 1000 cells per slide. RESULTS: In our study, the genotoxic effect of radiation exposure from panoramic radiography showed a statistically significant increase in the MN frequency in buccal epithelial cells. A significant correlation was observed between the age of the subjects and micronuclei, although no such correlation was found between gender and micronuclei count. CONCLUSION: MN test serves as a simple biomarker indicating the direct exposure to DNA damaging agents such as ionizing radiation, emphasizing great sensitivity even for exposure to low doses during radiation screening. Thus, panoramic dental radiography should be cautiously used only when necessary.

Haptics - touchfeedback technology widening the horizon of medicine.

Haptics, or touchsense haptic technology is a major breakthrough in medical and dental interventions. Haptic perception is the process of recognizing objects through touch. Haptic sensations are created by actuators or motors which generate vibrations to the users and are controlled by embedded software which is integrated into the device. It takes the advantage of a combination of somatosensory pattern of skin and proprioception of hand position. Anatomical and diagnostic knowledge, when it is combined with this touch sense technology, has revolutionized medical education. This amalgamation of the worlds of diagnosis and surgical intervention adds precise robotic touch to the skill of the surgeon. A systematic literature review was done by using MEDLINE, GOOGLE SEARCH AND PubMed. The aim of this article was to introduce the fundamentals of haptic technology, its current applications in medical training and robotic surgeries, limitations of haptics and future aspects of haptics in medicine.

Hinged and sectional complete dentures for restricted mouth opening: A case report and review.

Restricted mouth opening is a definite prosthodontic hindrance to carry out treatment successfully. Restricted mouth opening can be due to many reasons such as microstomia, oral submucous fibrosis, some genetic disorder, and as a result of some surgical treatment. In the past, various techniques for prosthetic rehabilitation of limited oral opening have been tried such as surgeries, use of dynamic opening devices, magnetic devices, and modification of denture design. Here we present; a simplified technique and simple design for fabrication of maxillary hinged and mandibular hinged and sectional complete denture for a patient with restricted mouth opening due to oral submucous fibrosis.

Temporomandibular joint involvement in ankylosing spondylitis.

Frequency of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has varied from 4% to 35%. It is more common in men and produces generalised stiffness in involved joints. Clinician should be suspicious of AS when a patient reports with painful restricted movements of joint, neck or back and with no trauma history. Conventional radiographic methods have allowed the demonstration of TMJ abnormalities in patients with AS, but CT is necessary to establish joint space relations and bony morphology. We describe a case of severe AS with TMJ involvement in a 40-year-old female patient and demonstrated TMJ changes on CT. A CT was able to demonstrate articular cartilage changes, disc- and joint abnormalities. Thus, if conventional radiographs in a symptomatic patient with rheumatic diseases are unable to demonstrate changes, CT can provide valuable additional information of the changes in the TMJ.

Importance of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosis of cysticercosis of temporalis muscle mimicking temporal space infection.

Cysticercosis cellulosae, caused by the larval stage of Taenia solium is a common parasitic infection in Indian subcontinent. Although cysticercosis is common in other parts of the human body, its involvement with temporalis muscle is an extremely rare entity and demands documentation. This paper reports a case of cysticercosis cellulosae in a 35-year-old male patient within the temporalis muscle mimicking temporal space infection; due to the presence of concomitant dental infection, which was diagnosed with the help of high resolution ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging and managed conservatively using oral antiparasitic medication. Here, in this case report, we are emphasizing the importance of imaging modalities in diagnosing space infection and cysticercosis.