Mapping of Dental Journal Publishing in India - A Pilot Study on Epistemological Challenges in Southern Scholarly Publishing.

BACKGROUND: Epistemic injustice and the so-called "predators" or illegitimate publishers are the challenges of Southern scholarly publishing. Even though open access (OA) publishing is revolutionary in academic publishing, increased compensation from authors in the form of author processing charges (APCs) by commercial publishers has marginalized knowledge creation in the Global South. The purpose of this study was to map the nature and scope of dental journal publishing in India. METHODS: We searched databases like Scopus, WoS, DOAJ, and the UGC CARE list for dental journals published in India. RESULT: There are currently 35 active dental journals, which mostly belong to or are affiliated with non-profit organizations (26, 55.9%) or educational institutions (9, 25.8%). The publication of 25 journals has been outsourced to international commercial publishers, with most of these linked to non-profit organizations. About 39.8% of Indian dental journals are OA and almost half charge APCs. Around 60% of the Indian journals are indexed in Scopus, and slightly less than half (12) are included in the Web of Science (WoS). DISCUSSION: The monopoly of international commercial publishers and the presence of APCs are the real culprits of epistemic injustice in Indian dental journal publishing. Besides, the identification of regional legitimate publishers would help demarcate the term "predatory publishing". CONCLUSION: The post-colonial world witnessed an emergence in Southern scholarly publishing. However, the hegemony or neoliberal exploitation of international commercial publishers and the prolonged use of "predators" in scholarly debates marginalized the knowledge produced in the Global South.

Antibiotic prophylaxis before invasive dental procedures for patients at high risk of infective endocarditis - A systematic review.

Background: Clinical use of antibiotics prophylaxis (AP) for preventing infective endocarditis (IE) after invasive dental procedures is controversial. Expert consensus guidelines are inconsistent, either restricting its use to high-risk individuals or advising its use again. Objectives: To determine whether there is a genuine need for AP to prevent IE in high-risk patients undergoing invasive dental procedures. Methods: Online search was performed on PubMed, Science Direct, British Dental Journal and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials. The methodological quality of each study was assessed using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Results: Seventeen (17) clinical trials were included in the final analysis recruiting 2,410 patients (AP = 1,366; placebo = 1,044). Bacteraemia was detected in 302 AP patients (22.1%) and 362 placebo patients (34.7%). AP reduced the risk of bacteraemia by 49% (risk ratio: 0.51; 95% CI; 0.45 to 0.58; P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Although using AP for IE may be pragmatic and justified for high-risk patients undergoing invasive dental procedures, the evidence is inconclusive because post-procedural bacteraemia may not be a good surrogate marker for IE. Moreover, trials investigating the direct association between AP and IE are lacking due to low disease prevalence and high-cost challenges.

Cheiloscopy in gender determination: A study on 2112 individuals.

BACKGROUND: Lip prints are seen to remain the same for an individual throughout his/her life. Cheiloscopy can be used as an effective tool in the identification of the persons from pieces of evidence that may be left behind from lip prints. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of the current research was to evaluate the predominant lip groove pattern among Calicut population, Kerala. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 2112 individuals (1056 males and 1056 females) in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, KMCT Dental College, Calicut, Kerala. Lipstick was used to record the lip groove patterns and the patterns were visualized by magnifying lens after the institutional ethical clearance and informed consent from the individual. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software 22.0. RESULTS: Among the study population, Type 1', Type 1, Type 4, and Type 5 were found to be common lip groove patterns. Males showed predominance on Type 1' and Type 1 lip groove patterns, whereas females showed predominance on Type 4 and Type 5 lip groove patterns. The results were similar when analyzed on upper and lower lips separately on males and females. CONCLUSION: Cheiloscopy is a reliable tool in personal identification and gender determination of an individual. The geographical prevalence of lip groove patterns was reported in the current research and is added to the database of the anthropological data. Studies in different geographical regions will add lip groove patterns on the database in the future and henceforth the potential of cheiloscopy could be further utilized.

Central giant cell granuloma of the anterior maxilla.

Central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) formerly called giant cell reparative granuloma is a non-neoplastic proliferative lesion of unknown etiology. It occurs most commonly in the mandible. The case reported here resembled a wide variety of conditions that led to a misdiagnosis both on clinical and radiographic examination but was histopathologically diagnosed as CGCG. We describe a case of central giant cell granuloma arising from the anterior maxilla to highlight to the general dental practitioner the importance of histopathology in the diagnosis of this enigmatic lesion.

Gorham disease involving the maxillofacial bones: A perplexing entity.

Gorham disease is a rare disorder with progressive osteolysis which leads to the vanishing of bones. Its etiology and ideal management strategy are still an enigma. A case of Gorham disease involving the maxillofacial region in a 25-year-old male with an emphasis on etiology and diagnosis is discussed.

Idiopathic cervical resorption: a diagnostic dilemma.

UNLABELLED: Idiopathic cervical resorption is a rare form of external resorption, usually with no external signs, and can be misdiagnosed as dental caries or other types of tooth resorption. Here we report a case in which, during routine radiography, an asymptomatic lower right molar presented with a radiolucency at the cervical region, with no obvious aetiologic factor identified. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This paper emphasizes the aetiopathogenesis and differential diagnosis of this rare and asymptomatic form of pathologic resorption, which can be encountered in dental practice.

Submental intubation: alternative short-term airway management in maxillofacial trauma.

OBJECTIVES: To assess submental route intubation as an alternative technique to a tracheostomy in the management of the airway in cranio-maxillofacial trauma, along with an assessment of its morbidity and complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Submental intubation was performed in 17 patients who had maxillofacial panfacial trauma and management was done under general anesthesia during a period of one year from 2013 to 2014 at Departments of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical College, Kochi, India. RESULTS: In all 17 cases, the technique of submental intubation was found to be simple and reliable. Hypertrophic scars were noted in three cases, orocutaneous fistula and mucocele in one case each. All these complications were managed comfortably without significant morbidity to the patient. CONCLUSION: Submental intubation is a good technique that can be used regularly in the management of the airway in cranio-maxillofacial trauma, but with some manageable complications.

Recurrent desmoplastic ameloblastoma of the maxilla: a case report.

A case of desmoplastic ameloblastoma recurring within 2 months of curettage is presented. This tumour appeared in the premolar region of the left maxilla with involvement of the antrum. The 24-year-old female patient was initially treated by curettage with wide surgical margins. Later, partial maxillectomy was carried out followed immediately by iliac bone graft. The case was followed with periodic plain radiography and computed tomography. The presence of a pulpally infected premolar and the atypical radiographic appearance obscured the disease. The biologic profile of this tumour is not fully understood because of the limited number of reported cases, coupled with inadequate long-term follow-up. A review of the lesion with emphasis on the pathogenesis of recurrence is discussed.

Osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle.

Osteochondroma is one of the most common benign tumors of the axial skeleton, but is rarely found in the facial bones. When present, the tumor is most often reported to affect the mandibular coronoid process. Osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle is extremely rare. A case is presented of a massive osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle leading to facial asymmetry and disturbed occlusion. The diagnosis was confirmed by radiological and histological examination.

Papillon Lefevre syndrome.

Papillon-Lefevre syndrome is a very rare autosomal recessive condition characterised by pronounced palmoplantar hyperkeratosis and severe early onset periodontitis, leading to early loss of teeth. Here, we report a case of Papillon-Lefevre syndrome with a brief discussion on treatment aspect.

Extreme oral myiasis.

Extreme oral myiasis is a rare condition, mostly affecting bedridden patients whose oral health care measures are neglected. Single stage manual removal of the maggots along with the necrotic tissue, debridement, and suturing under general anesthesia is the most effective way to treat the condition. Preventive measures are also equally important to eliminate the cause and recurrence. 

Progeria with post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis: a rare case report with differential diagnosis.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disorder associated with skin fragility. It is characterized by craniofacial disproportion, delayed dentition, micrognathia, and plucked bird appearance. The genetic defect is mainly de nova mutation in the lamin A gene. This report describes a 16-year-old patient with classical features of progeria along with post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis. The symptoms of hepatomegaly were also present in the patient. The differential diagnoses of this lesion are also discussed in detail in this literature.

An unusual triad: Bilateral dilated odontoma, hypodontia and peg laterals.

The dilated odontoma is an infrequent developmental alteration that appears in any area of the dental arches and can affect deciduous, permanent and supernumerary tooth. Dens invaginatus is a developmental anomaly resulting from invagination of a portion of crown forming within the enamel organ during odontogenesis. The most extreme form of dens invaginatus is known as dilated odontoma. The aim of this case report is to present a rare case of bilateral dilated odontoma affecting a microdontic permanent lateral incisor in a 30 year old female patient with hypodontia and peglateral teeth with its clinical, radiological and histological features, which has yet been not reported. Bilateral presence of dilated odontoma is not a common occurrence, although a single tooth involvement in each case has been reported in the literature.