Analysis of Dental Maturation in Relation to Sagittal Jaw Relationships.

BACKGROUND: The degree of mineralization of permanent tooth germs in dental age assessment has been an area of interest among many authors for years. However, only recently have researchers attempted to determine the potential interdependencies between dental age and jaw relationships. The aim of this work was to compare dental maturation in patients with skeletal Class II to patients with skeletal Classes I and III. MATERIAL/METHODS: The study involved 150 patients who sought orthodontic treatment. Dental age was assessed from panoramic radiographs using the Demirjian's method. Skeletal class was evaluated according to the value of the ANPg angle from the Björk's analysis. We used the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Student's t-test. RESULTS: The mean dental age in patients with skeletal Class III was significantly higher than the mean dental age in patients with skeletal Class II (p<0.0005). A correlation between the dental age and chronological age was established. The weakest correlation was seen between the dental age and skeletal Class II. Among patients with skeletal Class II, the strongest correlation was found between chronological age and the formation of the germ of the second lower premolar (r=0.67; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Dental age among patients with skeletal Class II was the lowest.

Radiological Indicators of Bone Age Assessment in Cephalometric Images. Review.

The ability to assess bone age accurately is important and allows to diagnose the patient correctly and to plan orthodontic treatment appropriately. The aim of the work is to present views of different authors on the subject of using cephalometric images to determine bone age and its significance for conducting appropriate orthodontic treatment. Publications from the PubMed medical database were analyzed. Search criteria: bone age assessment, CVM method. Ultimately, 36 papers out of 1354 publications were selected. The research of many authors confirms the usefulness of various methods using cephalometric images to assess skeletal age. Currently, the CVM method devised by Baccetti et al. is the most frequently mentioned one in literature. It seems that bone age assessment methods based on evaluating the morphological structure of the cervical vertebrae in cephalometric images can clearly differentiate skeletal maturity in children regardless of their race or sex. Bearing in mind the constant technological progress in medicine and stomatology, bone age assessment methods need to be perfected in order to alleviate their impact on the patient as much as possible.

[Coronary artery disease as cause of non-odontogenic toothache. A review of literature]. / Choroba wiencowa jako przyczyna niezebopochodnego bólu zebów. Przeglad pismiennictwa.

AIMS: The aim of the work is to present, based on the latest available literature, the clinical picture of non-odontogenic toothache as a symptom of coronary artery disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analysis of full text scientific studies, including research and casuistic works, which present the characteristics of the most frequently reported pain symptoms of the viscerocranium area, including toothache, in patients in the course of coronary artery disease. RESULTS: The pain of the viscerocranium region turned out to be the most frequent symptom of ischaemic heart disease when chest pain is absent. The most frequently reported pain symptoms of the viscerocranium area in the course of ischaemic heart disease involve: pain of the upper part of the thorax, left side of the mandible, right side of the mandible, the region of the left temporomandibular joint and the left ear, toothache. The patients most frequently described the pain as pressing and burning. The pain also intensified during physical exercise. CONCLUSION: The aetiology of toothache may be very diverse. An accurate and quick differential diagnosis of odontogenic and non-odontogenic toothache is not an easy task even for an expert clinician. Nonetheless, it is crucial for patients' life and health. A dentist may play a significant role in an early diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease.

Orthodontic treatment in oncological patients.

The progress in oncological treatment has led to the current increase of childhood cancer survival rate to 80%. That is why orthodontists more and more frequently consult patients who had completed a successful anti-cancer therapy in childhood. Oncological treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or supportive immunosuppressive therapy cause numerous side effects in growing patients, connected i.a. with growth, the development of teeth or the viscerocranium. This is a special group of patients that needs an optimised plan of orthodontic treatment and often has to accept a compromise result. The purpose of the current work is to discuss the results of orthodontic treatment in patients after an anti-cancer therapy. Time of treatment was 12,5 months. In 6 patients (from 40 undergoing orthodontic therapy) we haven't reached a normocclusion, in 9 patients we should have stopped the therapy because of the recurrence. In 11 patients we found mucosa inflammation and in 1 patient the therapy stopped before the end because of very low oral hygiene level. Bearing in mind the limited number of original works on the above topic in Polish medical literature, the study has been carried out in order to make Polish orthodontists more acquainted with the topic and the standards of dealing with an oncological patient.

Bone age assessment using cephalometric photographs.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of bone age comprises the basic element of orthodontic diagnostics as it enables the recognition of deviations from normal growth, determines the choice of treatment, helps determine the appropriate moment to begin treatment, establish prognosis and plan a retention strategy. In order to make an assessment of skeletal maturity possible in a single examination, radiological methods were adopted. The following characteristics are evaluated on a radiograph: the appearance, size and shape of ossification centers, the width and the shape of growth cartilage and the degree of fusion between diaphyses and epiphyses. In order to assess the maturity of bones, hand-wrist radiographs were introduced in the second decade of the 20(th) century. Bone age assessment of bone age could also be made based on an analysis of a morphological maturity of cervical vertebrae utilizing cephalometric radiographs. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the correspondence between bone age assessments made from hand-wrist radiographs and those from cephalometric radiographs. MATERIAL/METHODS: In order to fulfill the objectives, hand-wrist radiographs as well as cephalometric radiographs of 30 patients (15 girls and 15 boys) between 10 and 17 years of age were collected. Bone age of hand, wrist and cervical spine was assessed. Bone age on hand-wrist radiographs was evaluated using the Björk method, whereas cephalometric radiographs were analyzed by the Baccetti et al. method. RESULTS: A strong and statistically highly significant (r=0.98; p<0.00001) Pearson's correlation was found between bone age assessed from hand-wrist radiographs using Björk's method and bone age assessed from cephalometric radiographs using the method by Baccetti et al. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of cervical vertebrae in cephalometric radiographs appears to be the most desirable method of bone age assessment. Performing the analysis on routinely taken cephalograms eliminates the need for additional exposure to X-ray radiation and shortens the duration of examination.

Prevalence and location of denticles on panoramic radiographs.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the prevalence of denticles and their location with respect to teeth groups and to dental cavities on panoramic radiographs in a randomly selected group of individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The material consisted of 165 panoramic radiographs of individuals aged 9-76 years (111 females and 54 males). Permanent teeth were studied using a negatoscope. The presence and location of denticles was determined with respect to groups of teeth and particular parts of dental cavities. RESULTS: Denticles were found in 51.5% of panoramic radiographs. They were present in both dental arches in 51.8% of radiographs. Altogether, 248 denticles were found, out of which 61.7% were located in the upper dental arch. Pulp stones were found in pulp chambers only, usually in filled molars, in 69.4% of radiographs. Over 50% of all denticles were found in the first molar teeth. CONCLUSIONS: (1) The prevalence of denticles exceeds 50%. (2) Denticles occurred in pulp chambers in 69.4% of the individuals. In 91.6% of cases, denticles were found in multirooted teeth, mainly in the first molars and usually under fillings. These findings are a confirmation that denticles appear during chronic inflammation as the consequence of pulp irritation caused by caries or fillings.

[The orthodontic department in opinion of graduates of Faculty of Dentistry of Pomeranian Medical University in years 2006/2007]. / Zaklad Ortodoncji w opinii absolwentów Wydzialu Lekarsko-stomatologicznego Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej w roku 2006/2007.

INTRODUCTION: The verification of methods of conducting clinical and theoretical classes has influence on improvement of work organization. The aim of this paper was to collect and analyze information about didactics in Department of Orthodontics of Pomeranian Medical University and perspectives in the field of professional work. MATERIAL AND METHODS: At the end of academic year 2006/2007, 5th year students of Faculty of Dentistry evaluated classes conducted in Department of Orthodontics. All (69) 5th year students were included in the investigation. The material was collected by an anonymous questionnaire distributed after orthodontic final exam. RESULTS: Students assessed well didactics in Orthodontic Department. Compared to previous years percentage of students that wanted to work abroad has increased and the number of student that wanted to work in Poland as employees has decreased. More students are going to develop their own dental practice. CONCLUSIONS: The yearly character of the questionnaire investigations allows to observe that professional plans of future dentists are changing together with the situation on job market in dental branch.