Application of the Kvaal method with cone beam for the determination of a local formula for the age estimation of adult African melanoderma subject, Côte d'Ivoire.

BACKGROUND: Age estimation by invasive dental methods is a destructive, costly and time-consuming approach, whereas, age estimation methods using dental radiographs are simple, non-destructive and provide reliable information. Age estimation by the Kvaal radiographic method has proven to be a reliable method, but possible ethnic variations may limit its uses in other populations. The objective of this study was to reproduce the original Kvaal method with CBCT for the estimation of the age of the adult melano-African subject in Côte d'Ivoire, in order to propose an age estimation formula, specific to our study population, by taking into account the measurements of tooth and pulp ratios. METHODS: A cross-sectional study used 102 radiographic data from a CBCT Planmeca® examination in a private dental clinic in Abidjan. It was data from subjects of at least 18 years of age. Dental measurements in length and width of the entire tooth, root and pulp were performed on maxillary central incisors and the different ratios were calculated according to the Kvaal method. The correlation between age and ratios was also assessed. Age estimated using the Kvaal formula was compared to the chronological age. A linear regression equation was developed using ratios and age predictive factors to evaluate the accuracy of the Kvaal formula. RESULTS: In all, a total of 102 radiographs of 102 subjects, of whom 55 (53.9%) were females, were analyzed. The median age was 51 years (inter-quartile range [IQR] 41- 58). Using the Kvaal formula, the Standard error of the estimated age was higher in the African melanoderma population compared to the Kvaal population. The new formula derived from that of the Kvaal formula was developed and applied to our study population (Age = 84.7- 114.2 (M) - 29.4 (W - L) gave more than double the standard error of estimated age by Kvaal (26.03). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the measurements made by Kvaal are reproducible with CBCT and there is a correlation between age and the dental parameters studied. However, the age estimation formula determined by Kvaal et al. is not valid for African melanoderma subjects living in Côte d'Ivoire.

[Traditional practices and exploitation of medicinal plants in odontostomatology in Ivory Coast]. / Pratiques traditionnelles et valorisation des plantes médicinales en odonto-stomatologie en Côte d'Ivoire.

Traditional medicine of which is a part traditional odontology occupies an important place within the African societies. It often constitutes the first appeal (80 % of the population) because of the high cost of the care, the incapacity of the human and material resources but also the faiths of the populations. This reality makes valuation of the traditional odontology a necessity. This study comes within this framework. It's a contribution for a better knowledge of practices and plants used in traditional odontology in Ivory Coast. So, after a presentation of some traditional knowledge's and their fields of application, the authors review studies made on the efficiency of plants in the prevention of tooth decay and the treatment of some oral diseases. The objective of these researches is to elaborate effective and financially affordable traditional improved drugs.

[Survey of general dental practitioners in Abidjan on the use of the operatory field in dentistry]. / Enquête auprès des omnipraticiens d'Abidjan sur l'utilisation du champ opératoire en dentisterie.

Rubber dam is a standard operatory field in operative dentistry and endodontics. It is undoubtedly the most certain way to insure the success of therapeutics acts. Its use by Abidjan practitioners has been the subject of our study which aim is to underline the place of rubber dam in daily practice. Our investigations show that rubber dam is totally absent from practitioners acts. Generally cotton rolls constitute the most frequent mean used by practitioners to isolate the tooth in operative dentistry and endodontics. Only 23.9% of them associate saliva sucking up. Some cases of aspiration and swallowing file by accident by patients have been highlighted. Those results lead us to recommend the systematic use of rubber dam as the mean of efficiency and security which cannot be ignored in our practice.

[Preoperative diet and complete dentures in Ivory Coast]. / Diététique préopératoire et prothèse adjointe totale en Côte d'Ivoire.

The toothless patients of developing country are a real problem of nutrition. The practitioners are in the habit of doing the prostheses restoration wit hoof thinking of alimentation. In this work, authors show the energetic and protein malnutrition of the toothless patients of Cote d'lvoire and propose a hyperprotein diet with their alimentation habit in order to prepare the psychic and physic site who must receive complete prostheses.

[Oral health care practices in Abidjan]. / Itinéraire thérapeutique en Odonto-Stomatologie à Abidjan.

Abidjan, the economical capital of Ivory Coast has a CAO of 2.7 with index O practically nil. The professional density is one surgeon for 12.000 inhabitants. Abidjan population, despite the requirements in increasing care has not recourse to the dental surgeons for their assumption of responsibility. The general objective of our study is to describe the therapeutic itinerary in odonto-stomatology of the Abidjan population. We have realised a questionnaire survey beside of population sample. The results show that 25 per cent of our population gives up care despite the presence of pain or embarrassment. Our study has allowed highlighting all the other recourses to the care. Indeed, the people who give up the care have much other recourse which has be identified in order of importance: the modern and traditional self-medication. Let us note in our study, that the choice of dental surgeon knows a constant evolution from the first to the third recourse. The lack of financial means constitutes however the first obstacle at the accessibility to the oral care in Ivory Coast.

[Comparison of the clinical detection and the biological detection of dental caries]. / Comparaison de la détection clinique et de la détection biologique de la carie dentaire.

Different methods can be used to detect dental caries. The comparison of the clinical detection by the use of explorer and mirror to the biological detection by the measurement of alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) in 107 men of 19 to 25 years old was performed. Biological detection reveals more active caries(APL activity > 116 Ul/L) than the clinical one. Absence of caries activity is expressed by an ALP activity between 86 and 116 Ul/L. The Chi 2 test shows that alkaline phosphatase is a statistically significant marker of dental caries and more it reveals its carious activity.

[The contribution of cephalometry in the determination of the reference occlusal plane in complete edentulousness]. / Apport de la teleradiographie dans la determination du plan d'occlusion referentielle chez l'edente total.

Failure or success of complete prosthesis essentially depends on the step of occlusal plane's determination. There are many proposals made by many authors. The contribution of piezography and cephalometric radiography could bring more accuracy in the determination of occlusal plane.