The effect of concha bullosa and nasal septal deviation on palatal dimensions: a cone beam computed tomography study.

INTRODUCTION: Nasal septal deviation (NSD) and concha bullosa (CB) are associated with airway obstruction in mouth breathers. Mouth breathing is associated with alterations in maxillary growth and palatal architecture. The aim of our study was to determine the effect of the presence of CB and NSD on the dimensions of the hard palate using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted using CBCT scans of 200 study subjects. The study subjects were divided into four groups based on the presence of CB and NSD. Septal deviation angle (SDA), palatal interalveolar length (PIL), palatal depth (PD) and maxillopalatal arch angle (MPAA) were measured in the study groups. RESULTS: The presence of NSD and CB was associated with significant (p < 0.001) differences in the palatal dimensions of the study subjects. The PIL and MPA (p < 0.001) were significantly reduced (p < 0.001), whereas the PD was significantly increased (p < 0.001) in study subjects with NSD and CB. There was no significant change in the palatal dimensions between the unilateral and bilateral types of CB. Among the palatal dimensions, the PIL had the most significant association (R2 = 0.53) with SDA and CB. There was a significant correlation between the palatal dimensions and SDA when CB was present along with NSD. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the presence of NSD and CB have a significant effect on the palatal dimensions and, therefore, they may be associated with skeletal malocclusion.

Comparative evaluation of dermatoglyphic patterns between skeletal class I and skeletal class III malocclusion.

Background: Dermatoglyphics is the study of various dermal configurations on the fingers, palms, and soles. These appear during the 12th week of intrauterine life and develop completely by the 24th week. It is said that they remain constant thereafter. The aim of the present study was to compare and assess the association of dermatoglyphic patterns between skeletal class I and skeletal class III malocclusion. Methods: Finger and palm prints were collected using the ink and roller method from 604 subjects who were divided into skeletal class I, class III with maxillary retrognathism and class III with mandibular prognathism based on lateral cephalogram assessment. Results: Loop pattern was more predominant in skeletal class I malocclusion subjects and whorl pattern was more frequent in the other two groups. Total finger ridge count and atd angle also showed significant difference between the study groups. Conclusions: The present study attempted in assessing the association between dermatoglyphic patterns and skeletal malocclusion. Analysing dermal configurations may aid in indicating the type of developing malocclusion and thus help in interceptive and preventive orthodontics.

Association between dermatoglyphic patterns and growth patterns of subjects with skeletal class I relation: A cross sectional study.

Background: To assess the relationship between dermatoglyphic patterns and various growth patterns of the mandible. Methods: Patients with Class I Skeletal relation were selected after clinical diagnosis followed by digitally tracing the cephalogram. The patients were subdivided into three groups of mandibular divergence patterns ie Average, Horizontal and Vertical. 90 samples ie 30 in each group were selected for the study. The fingerprints of all the selected subjects were then extracted digitally and analysed for the most dominant pattern in each hand. Results: For the left hand, there was a statistically significant (P<0.05) association between fingerprint pattern and growth pattern when Horizontal growers were compared to Average and Vertical Growers. For the right hand, there was a statistically significant (P<0.05) association between fingerprint pattern and growth pattern when Horizontal growers were compared to Average Growers. A significant association (P<0.05) between fingerprint pattern and growth pattern was also found when average growers were compared to vertical growers. Conclusions: Horizontal growers had 80% frequency of appearance of whorls in their left hand and 67% in their right hand. Horizontal growers could easily be differentiated from the average and vertical growers because of the dominance of whorl pattern in their hands. Composite and arch pattern were more frequent in vertical growers when compared to horizontal and average growers.

Status of thiocyanate levels in the serum and saliva of non-smokers, ex-smokers and smokers.

BACKGROUND: Use of tobacco is often implicated in the development of oral diseases. Questionable accuracy of the traditional questionnaires to assess cigarette exposure necessitates the use of biomarkers like thiocyanate which provide a definitive quantitative measure. OBJECTIVE: To assess the rise in the level of thiocyanate for measurement of smoking behaviour in adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum and salivary thiocyanate levels were estimated in 20 non-smokers, 20 ex-smokers and 40 smokers. Smokers were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of oral mucosal lesions. RESULTS: The mean serum and salivary thiocyanate levels were increased significantly in smokers when compared to non-smokers and ex-smokers. The levels were not significantly different between ex-smokers and non-smokers and between smokers with tobacco related oral mucosal lesions and those without. Statistically significant correlation was seen between the serum and salivary levels of thiocyanate. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the high level of thiocyanate in the serum and saliva of smokers when compared to non-smokers and ex-smokers. Significant increase in thiocyanate level was also seen in saliva. Hence it can be stated that saliva can be used as a reliable, non-invasive tool to assess smoking behaviour in the population and its changes over time.

Sialic acid as a biomarker of oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer.

BACKGROUND: Carcinogenesis is a multistep process where a healthy cell has initially a precancerous stage and finally an early cancerous stage. The process of carcinogenesis can be divided into three stages of initiation, promotion, and progression. In this process, there is increased turnover, secretion, and/or shedding from malignant cells. Glycoproteins like sialic acid are expressed on the cell surface. In oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and oral cancer (OC), the sialic acid level is seen to increase due to high cell turnover and shedding of malignant cells which, in turn, results in the release of glycoproteins like sialic acid into circulation. Glycoproteins also form an important constituent of salivary mucins and hence due to the same mechanism, an increase in sialic acid level is also seen in saliva. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to estimate serum and salivary sialic acid levels in healthy controls, patients with OPMDs and patients with OC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this observational cross-sectional study, serum and salivary sialic acid levels were estimated in thirty healthy controls, thirty patients with OPMDs and thirty patients with OC. RESULTS: Serum and salivary sialic acid levels obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. Post hoc Tukey test was used to compare the serum and salivary sialic acid levels of the two study groups to the control group. ANOVA test was used for the comparison of sialic acid levels between the groups. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess correlation (P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant). The mean serum and salivary sialic acid levels were increased significantly in subjects with OPMDs and OC when compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the high expression of sialic acid on outer cell membranes, due to the significant increase in subjects with OPMDs and OC when compared to healthy controls. A significant increase in sialic acid level is also seen in saliva. Hence, it can be stated that saliva can be used as a reliable, noninvasive tool in diagnosis and management of OPMDs and OC.

Status of Serum and Salivary Levels of Superoxide Dismutase in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with Oral Manifestations: A Case Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is a very well known metabolic disorder that has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. Evidence suggests that oxidative stress increases in Diabetes Mellitus because of the excessive production of reactive oxygen species and an impaired antioxidant defence mechanism. This study estimated, compared and correlated the serum and salivary Superoxide dismutase levels in healthy subjects and subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus having oral manifestations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, serum and salivary Superoxide dismutase levels were estimated in 45 healthy subjects and 45 patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with oral manifestations. RESULTS: The mean serum and salivary Superoxide dismutase levels were significantly decreased in subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with oral manifestations compared to the healthy subjects. Positive correlation in both healthy and diabetics was observed between serum and salivary samples. CONCLUSION: This study highlights that the abnormally high levels of oxidative stress in diabetics coupled with simultaneous decline in antioxidant defence mechanism results in complications in Diabetes mellitus. Thus exploring saliva for antioxidant markers that accurately reflect the redox status of the body is worthwhile.

Salivary lactate dehydrogenase levels in oral leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma: a biochemical and clinicopathological study.

BACKGROUND: Oral cancer is the third most common form of malignancies in India. In many cases it develops at the site of premalignant lesion. Transformation of normal tissue to premalignant lesion and further to oral cancer results in alteration in glycolytic pathway and hence the lactate dehydrogenase levels. Therefore, a study was carried out to determine the changes in the salivary alterations in lactate dehydrogenase (LD) levels oral leukoplakia (OL) and oral cancer (OC). METHODS: Seventy-five patients reporting to department of oral medicine and radiology, were enrolled into the study which includes 25 patients each of oral leukoplakia, 25 of oral cancer and 25 healthy controls (HC). Unstimulated whole saliva measuring 1 mL will be collected from each of these patients by spit method in centrifuged and evaluated for LDH levels using the standard kit method. The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using the SPSS software version 17. RESULTS: The mean salivary lactate dehydrogenase levels were higher in males in comparison to females in all three study groups OL, OC and HC. The salivary lactate dehydrogenase levels in the controls group, oral leukoplakia group and oral cancer were 79.50 ± 4.67 IU/L, 136.46 ± 3.36 IU/L and 148.77 ± 4.83 IU/L, respectively. There was a significant difference in the mean salivary levels of the above groups. CONCLUSION: Salivary lactate dehydrogenase levels are consistently higher in oral precancer and cancer hence it could be future marker.