Assessment of Lingual Concavities in Submandibular Fossa Region in Patients requiring Dental Implants-A Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study.

AIM: The present study was aimed at assessing the lingual concavities in the submandibular fossa region in patients requiring dental implants with the help of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study included 140 patients who visited the department with the missing mandibular posterior teeth. CBCT images were obtained using planmeca machine. Cross sections of 1 mm of submandibular fossa in the region of 1st and 2nd molar were studied and Type I to III lingual concavities were analyzed by a radiologist. RESULTS: Type I lingual concavity (< 2 mm) was seen in 23%, type II (2-3 mm) in 62% and Type III (> 3 mm) in 15% of patients. The difference was significant (p < 0.05). Males had slightly higher mean ± S.D value at 1st molar (2.6 mm ± 0.94) and 2nd molar (2.8 mm ± 0.90) on the left side and (2.7 mm ± 0.92) at 1st molar and (2.9 mm ± 0.93) at 2nd molar on the right side. The difference was nonsignificant (p > 0.05). Females had mean ± S.D value at 1st molar (2.3 mm ± 0.90) and (2.5 mm ± 0.92) at 2nd molar on the left side and (2.4 mm ± 0.91) at 1st molar and (2.8 mm ± 0.93) at 2nd molar. The difference was nonsignificant (p > 0.05. The difference between both genders was statistically nonsignificant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Type I bone is the best for placing an implant. The chances of complications are more in type II and III bone. CBCT provides necessary information before planning implant in the edentulous area. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is the best radiographic aid which is effective in delineating different types of bone in the mandibular posterior region.

Gingival Crevicular Fluid Turnover Markers in Premenopausal vs Postmenopausal Women receiving Orthodontic Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Orthodontic treatment is one of the commonly used dental treatments. Orthodontic forces act on the bone by modulating the biomolecules, chiefly the osteoprotegerin (OPG), osteopontin (OPN), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B (RANK), and RANK ligand (RANKL) (OPG ligand). Hormonal changes are known to cause marked alteration in the levels of these biomolecules. Hence, we planned this study to evaluate the response of bone biomarkers in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in postmenopausal women undergoing fixed orthodontic therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included assessment of 50 subjects who underwent orthodontic treatment from June 2012 to July 2016. All the patients were divided into two study groups with 25 patients in each group: premenopausal group and postmenopausal group. Similar orthodontic wires were used for controlling the forces applied in subjects of both the study groups and their GCF levels of RANKL, and OPN was assessed at baseline and 24 hours after the activation of orthodontic forces. All the results were compiled, assessed, and analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 16.0. Chi-square test, Student's t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used for the assessment of the level of significance. RESULTS: The mean values of RANKL and OPN in the premenopausal and postmenopausal groups were found to be 241.52 and 317.15 pg/µL respectively. The mean values of RANKL at baseline in the premenopausal and postmenopausal groups were found to be 7.15 and 3.84 pg/µL respectively. Nonsignificant results were obtained while comparing mean OPN and RANKL level alteration in between the two study groups. CONCLUSION: The mean alterations in the GCF levels of bone biomarkers are similar for both premenopausal and postmeno-pausal women. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: For women with either premenopausal or postmenopausal status, orthodontic treatment appears to be equally safer.