Utility of Panoramic Radiographs in the Screening of Individuals with Edentulous Arches: A Need-Analysis Study

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the utility of panoramic radiographs in pre-prosthetic screening of edentulous arches. Material and Methods: Panoramic radiographs taken for three years were retrospectively analyzed. Observations from the radiographs shall be categorized and classified into either of the two categories, namely: 'findings with minimal impact on denture fabrication' and 'findings which affect denture fabrication and require further evaluation.' Anatomic variations, jaw pathologies, and residual ridge resorption patterns were assessed. Results: This study included the initial screening of 23,020 panoramic radiographs, out of which 505 (showing either one or both edentulous arches) were included for the study purpose. The age range of the subjects was from 21 to 94 years. 52.6% of the radiographs showed positive findings. More than half of the radiographs belonged to the males (52.5%). Hyperpneumatization of the maxillary sinus, crestal position of the mental foramen, and retained root fragments were the most common entities noted in the radiographs. Changes in the mental foramen were significantly higher in males than females (p=0.002). Conclusion: Observations from this study showed that panoramic radiographs have high utility for screening edentulous arches, and they should be used in routine clinical practice before denture fabrication.

Hermansky Pudlak Syndrome Type 2:A Rare Case Report.

Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome (HPS) is a rareautosomal recessive disorder characterized byOculocutaneous Albinism (OCA), platelet disorder,and ceroid accumulation. It is common in North WestPuerto Rico region, and the incidence reported is1/500000. It is a rare genetic disorder with plateletdysfunction resulting in bleeding diathesis. Here wereport one such rare case of HPS type 2 in a 7-year-oldboy with difficulty in chewing.

Oral Hygiene and Dentition Status in Patients with Congenital Hemorrhagic Disorders: A Comparative Study

Abstract Objective: To compare the status of oral hygiene and dentition in patients with congenital hemorrhagic disorders with their age-matched healthy counterparts. Also, the prevalence of fear of dentists/ dental treatment among these patients was assessed. Material and Methods: This study was performed on children and adults with von Willebrand disease (vWD), hemophilia (A or B), and healthy subjects. Oral health and dentition status was assessed using the simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S), plaque index, and the decayed, missing, filled teeth (dmft/DMFT) index. One-way ANOVA test was employed to compare the oral hygiene and dentition status of subjects in the three groups. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The DMFT score did not vary significantly between the groups (p>0.05). Higher OHI-S scores and a poor oral hygiene status was observed more in the hemophilia group than the vWD group and healthy controls. A total of 27.3% of the subjects in the vWD group, 18.2% of subjects in the hemophilia group, and no subjects in the healthy group had a fear of dentists or dental treatment. Conclusion: Subjects with vWD had a higher number of carious teeth when compared to the other groups. Poor oral hygiene status was observed in subjects with hemophilia.