Palatally displaced maxillary canines: factors influencing duration and cost of treatment.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the relationship between the initial position of palatally displaced canines (PDCs) on panoramic radiographs and the duration of the orthodontic treatment and further to estimate the costs of the treatment. Data from panoramic radiographs and patient records of 66 consecutive patients (mean age 14.9 ± 1.7 years) with PDC were analysed. The initial position of the canine, the distance between the canine cusp tip and the occlusal plane, and the inclination of the canine were significantly associated with treatment duration both unadjusted and adjusted for background characteristics. The average estimated cost of the treatment of PDC was €3200 per case. The total annual cost for treatment of PDC in Sweden may therefore be estimated at €600,0000. In this study, duration of treatment averaged 17 months for canines displaced in impaction zone 1 or 2, 2.6 [95% confidence interval (CI) -1.0 to 6.2] months longer for those in impaction zone 3, and 7.6 (95% CI 4.1-11.1) months longer for canines displaced in impaction zone 4 or 5. This information makes it easier, through study of the panoramic radiograph, to estimate the duration of treatment and to give patients more precise information about the expected length of their treatment.

Prevalence of malocclusions and orthodontic treatment need in 8- to 12-year-old schoolchildren in Casablanca, Morocco.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the prevalence of malocclusions and orthodontic treatment need among schoolchildren in Casablanca, Morocco. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 1000 children aged between 8 and 12 years, with no history of orthodontic treatment, was chosen at random in state schools in different administrative areas of the city of Casablanca. Data was registered using the method of Bjork et al. (1964). Orthodontic treatment need was assessed with the index used by the Swedish National Board of Health (SweNBH). RESULTS: We found Angle Class I malocclusions in 61.4%, Class II in 24%, Class III in 10% and an indeterminate molar class with one or more missing molars in 4.6% of the children. Overjet was 1-4mm in 63.8%, 4-6 mm in 17.2% and >6 mm in 10%. Bite was normal in 65.4%, 23.6% presented an overbite greater than 4 mm, 1.7% an anterior open bite ≤3 mm, 1.2% an anterior open bite >3 mm and 0.2% a bilateral open bite. Half of the sample presented anterior crowding, while only 2.5% presented posterior crowding. In all, 84.2% of the subjects needed some orthodontic treatment, and 15.8% needed no treatment. No statistically significant difference was found between sex or age and orthodontic treatment need (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study found a strong need for orthodontic treatment, confirming the utility of implementing a programme of bucco-dental prevention and screening for malocclusion.

A framework for costing diagnostic methods in oral health care: an application comparing a new imaging technology with the conventional approach for maxillary canines with eruption disturbances.

OBJECTIVES: The aims were (i) to propose a framework for costing diagnostic methods in oral health care and (ii) to illustrate the application of the framework to the radiographic examination of maxillary canines with eruption disturbances. METHODS: The framework for costing, following Drummond et al. (2005), includes three elements: (i) identification of different resources used in producing and delivering the service, (ii) measurement of the amount of each resource required and (iii) valuation of the resources in monetary terms. Four data collection instruments were designed - a protocol for apportioning the cost of capital equipment to each diagnostic procedure, separate forms for recording consumable items, for the time of different health care providers used for a diagnostic examination and a patient survey for calculation of the total cost to the patient associated with the examination. The framework was applied to the radiographic examination of maxillary canines with eruption disturbances comparing two imaging methods: (i) a new method with cone beam computed tomography and panoramic radiography and (ii) a conventional method using intraoral and panoramic radiography. The primary analysis was performed from the perspective of the health care system. A separate analysis included patient costs with health care system costs to provide a societal perspective. Comparison of the two perspectives allows consideration of whether any costs savings to the health care system are generated at the expense of greater costs for patients and their families. Data for the cost-analysis were retrieved from 47 patients (mean age 14 years) referred to a department of radiology for examination of maxillary canines. RESULTS: Application of the framework for costing allowed us to compare the resources used to perform examinations of the two methods. The mean total cost per examination for the new method was 128.38€ and 81.80€ for the conventional method, resulting in an incremental cost per examination of the new method of 46.58€. CONCLUSIONS: The application of the framework demonstrates the feasibility of measuring and comparing the total costs as well as the distribution of total costs between providers and patients for different approaches to this common examination.

A comparative diagnostic assessment of anterior tooth and bone status using panoramic and periapical radiography.

AIMS: The aim of the present study was to compare diagnostic assessments of anterior tooth and bone status in a randomised cohort of pre-orthodontic patients using panoramic and periapical radiographs. METHOD: Four hundred and forty-four cases with matched periapical and panoramic radiographs were examined by three observers. Two were final-year postgraduate endodontic students and the other, a final-year Honours degree dental student. Multi-rater Kappa values were used to assess the reliability of the observers, with a value of 1 equating to complete agreement. RESULTS: With the exception of endodontic Class 1 and 2 palatal invaginations, reliability exceeded 0.95 for all three observers. An assessment of the graduate endodontic students revealed only a marginal increase in the kappa values. Statistical analysis (p < 0.05) determined that developmental anomalies or tooth/bone pathoses were more reliably detected by observers using periapical radiographs compared with panoramic films. This finding has relevance given the likelihood of anterior dental trauma among young children. CONCLUSION: While there have been considerable improvements in the quality of dental panoramic radiography, the present study indicated that a reliable pre-orthodontic or post-trauma diagnostic assessment should include both panoramic and intra-oral radiographs.

Valoración de la ecuación de Tanaka-Johnston en estudiantes cubanos con oclusión normal / Assessment of Tanaka-Johnston equation in Cuban students presenting normal occlusion

El análisis de Tanaka-Johnston, mundialmente empleado para la predicción del espacio de caninos y premolares no brotados, ha sido muy cuestionado por la variabilidad en el tamaño dentario entre las diferentes poblaciones, y por haber sido realizado en un grupo étnico no aplicable a todos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal, con el objetivo de determinar el ancho mesiodistal de incisivos, caninos y premolares mandibulares, así como de caninos y premolares maxilares, y comparar la suma real de estos dientes con los estimados por Tanaka-Johnston, según el sexo y la arcada. El universo de esta investigación estuvo constituido por 50 estudiantes de la Facultad de Estomatología de La Habana, 25 del sexo femenino y 25 del sexo masculino, con oclusión normal, sin antecedentes de tratamiento ortodóncico; todos descendientes de cubanos. En los resultados se observó que los anchos mesiodistales de los incisivos, caninos y primeros premolares inferiores y de caninos y segundo premolar izquierdo superiores fueron significativamente mayores en el sexo masculino que en el femenino. La suma real de caninos y premolares superiores e inferiores fue mayor en el sexo masculino que en el femenino. Cuando se comparó la suma real de caninos y premolares, con lo estimado según la ecuación de Tanaka-Johnston, se halló que la esta sobrestimó los valores de caninos y premolares, ya que los resultados fueron significativamente menores(AU)

The Tanaka-Johnston analysis used at worldwide to predict the space of non-erupted canines and premolars has been questioned due to the variability in the teeth size among different populations and also to be carried out in non-applicable whole ethnic group. A cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted to determine the mesiodistal width of mandibular incisives, canines and premolars, as well as of danines and premolar-maxillary and to compare the real sum of these theeth with the estimates by Tanaka-Johnston, according to sex and the arcade. Universe of this research included 50 students of Stomatology Faculty of havana (25 males and 25 females) presenting with normal occlusion, without a history of Orthodontics treatment all of them descendants of Cubans. In results it was noted that the mesiodistal widths of incisives, canines and first lower premolars and of canines and second left premolars upper are greater in male sex than in the female one. The real sum of upper and lower canines and premolars was greter in male sex than in the female one. Comparing the real sum of canines and premolars with that estimated according Tanaka-Johnston, it was noted that it overestimated the values of canines and premolar since the results were significantly lower(AU)

Radiographic assessment of dental anomalies in patients with ectopic maxillary canines.

BACKGROUND: The aetiology of palatally and labially located ectopic maxillary canines is multifactorial. Accordingly, early prediction of this eruptional disturbance is in most cases not possible. AIM: The purpose of this study was to analyse dental deviations in cases with either palatal or labial ectopic canines. DESIGN: Panoramic and intra-oral radiographs from 50 patients with palatally located (38 females and 12 males) and 19 patients with labially located ectopic canines (11 females and 8 males), aged 10 years, 2 months-18 years, 1 month, were analysed. Dental deviations registered were crown and root malformations, agenesis, and eruption deviations. Registrations were performed in the maxillary incisor field and in the dentition in general. RESULTS: The study documented that palatally as well as labially located ectopic canines can occur in dentitions without other dental deviations. Dental deviations occurred in approximately two-thirds of all cases, more often in females and in cases with palatally located canines. More than half of the females with palatally located canines had deviations in the maxillary incisors and in the dentition in general. CONCLUSION: Dental deviations may be considered a risk factor for maxillary canine ectopia. Early identification of patients at risk and appropriate interceptive treatment may reduce ectopic eruption of maxillary canines.

Extirpation of the primary canine tooth follicles: a form of infant oral mutilation.

BACKGROUND: Ebinyo is a form of infant oral mutilation (IOM), widely practiced in rural areas of eastern Africa, in which traditional healers and other village elders extirpate the primary canine tooth follicles of infants by using crude, often unsterilized, instruments or utensils. Traditional folklore suggests that the underlying tooth follicles, thought to resemble worms, are the cause of high temperature, vomiting, loss of appetite and diarrhea in infants. In addition to the serious and potentially fatal immediate postsurgical complications, many of those who undergo this practice exhibit characteristic long-term adverse dentoalveolar effects. Children in these families also may be at greater risk of undergoing other mutilation rituals because of their cultural background. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report on the clinical and radiographic findings in five siblings who apparently were subjected to IOM as infants before immigrating to the United States. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Although the practice of IOM is believed to be exceedingly rare in developed countries, it is important that dentists and allied dental personnel who treat refugees from areas of the world in which IOM is endemic be aware of the social factors behind this practice as well as be able to recognize its dental and psychological sequelae.

Assessment of periodontal status following the alignment of impacted permanent maxillary canine teeth.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of orthodontic movement of the impacted canines after surgical exposure and alignment on the periodontal status of the transpositioned and adjacent teeth as well as to compare certain parameters with those of spontaneously erupted teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients (mean age 18.4 +/- 3.66) with unilaterally impacted 24 canines were enrolled in the study. The following parameters were assessed: pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), platelet index (PI) of Silness and Löe, and modified sulcus bleeding index (SBI). Optic density of the alveolar bone along the root surface of the aligned canine was analysed based on digital radiological images made with the right angle technique. Control group consisted of spontaneously erupted teeth. RESULTS: In comparison to the control group, in the orthodonticaly treated group PD was found to increase on the mesial buccal and palatal surfaces of the first premolar (p < 0.003, p < 0.04), on the treated side; on the distal buccal (p < 0.01), mesial buccal (p < 0.0005), mesial palatal (p < 0.02) and distal palatal surfaces of the canine (p < 0.02); and on the distal buccal (p < 0.04) and distal palatal surfaces of the lateral incisor (p < 0.048). CAL was statistically significant on the mesio-buccal and mesio-palatal surfaces of the aligned canine (p < 0.02). PI was statistically insignificant, while SBI values at the aligned tooth were statistically significant (p < 0.0004). Positive correlation was found between treatment duration and distance to the occlusal plane (d) expressed by the correlation coefficient r = 0.49 (p < 0.02). No relationship was observed between bone density within the canine alignment zone and the control, and there was no link between the method of treatment and periodontal status, either. CONCLUSIONS: The alignment of the impacted permanent maxillary canines poses a risk of periodontal deterioration. Patients subjected to surgical-orthodontic treatment require periodic periodontal follow-ups.

Resorption of the lateral maxillary incisor: assessment by CT.

Computed tomography of the maxillary alveolar arch was performed in three children with delayed eruption of one or both maxillary cuspids. Computed tomography demonstrated close contact between the ectopically localized and nonerupted canine and the lateral incisor. The lesion was unilateral in two patients and bilateral in one. In two patients resorption of the lateral incisor root was demonstrated. Moreover, CT permitted exact determination of the extent of the lesion by differentiating between superficial cementodentine resorption limited to the cementodentine (superficial resorption) and resorption extending into the pulpal canal (pulpal canal involvement).