Aspectos clínicos y forenses del color rosa de los dientes: reporte de un caso / Clinical and forensic aspects of the pink color of teeth: report of a case

La coloración rosa de los dientes puede originarse por diferentes factores. En el ámbito forense se ha descrito al fenómeno denominado post mortem pink teeth como un signo asociado a muertes violentas de etiología diversa. En la práctica clínica también es posible observar pacientes con dientes rosados, fre-cuentemente ocasionados por traumatismos o iatro-genia proveniente de ortodoncia, cuyo mecanismo de producción obedece a distintas etiopatogenias, destacándose las reabsorciones dentinarias inter-nas, cemento-dentinarias externas y calcificaciones dentinarias. El presente artículo expone el caso de un individuo adulto con antecedente de trauma óseo-dentario por accidente vial que, luego de un prolon-gado tiempo, asiste al Servicio de Urgencias Odon-tológicas y Orientación de Pacientes de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, en donde se le detecta, a modo de hallazgo exploratorio, una ostensible coloración rosada en el canino infe-rior derecho. La situación motivó un pormenorizado abordaje clínico y radiográfico, indagando respecto a los probables factores que intervinieron en su ge-neración y desarrollo (AU)

The pink coloration of the teeth can be caused by dif-ferent factors. In the forensic field, the phenomenon called post mortem pink teeth has been described as a sign associated with violent deaths of various etiology. In clinical practice, it is also possible to ob-serve patients with pink teeth, frequently caused by trauma or iatrogenesis from orthodontics, whose production mechanism is due to different etiopatho-genesis, highlighting internal dentin resorption, ex-ternal cemento-dentinal resorption and dentin calci-fications. This article presents the case of an adult individual with a history of bone-dental trauma due to a road accident who, after a long time, attends the Dental Emergency and Patient Guidance Service of the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Bue-nos Aires, where an ostensible pink coloration was detected in the lower right canine as an exploratory finding. The situation motivated a detailed clinical and radiographic approach, inquiring about the probable factors that intervened in its generation and development (AU)

A Single-Center Study of a Resin Inlay Dental Implant-Fixed Prosthesis for Closing Proximal Contact Loss in 89 Patients Who Underwent 3-Year Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND Proximal contact loss (PCL) is very common between implant-fixed prostheses (IFPs) and adjacent teeth and leads to a high incidence of food impaction. Our aim was to determine if the mesio-distal adjustable (MDA) crown prostheses introduced in this study could easily establish new contacts intraorally without the intervention of prostheses retrieval. MATERIAL AND METHODS The MDA crown requires casting in the inlay framework at the proximal contact area. If PCL occurred, the resin in the inlay framework could be easily removed and refilled chairside. This single-center prospective study aimed to investigate the use of a resin inlay dental implant-fixed prosthesis for the closing proximal contact loss in 93 patients who were recruited from April 2017 to December 2017. Four patients dropped out during the 3-year follow-up; therefore, 89 patients were included. The effect of this technique was assessed by the implant mucosal status and follow-up investigations of food impaction. RESULTS PCL occurred in 29.21% (26 prostheses) of the IFPs. The PCL rate at the mesial contact surfaces (n=24, 26.97%) was significantly higher than that at the distal contact surfaces (n=5, 8.33%) (P<0.01); however, the incidence of PCL was greater at adjacent teeth with significant bone resorption (P=0.00). After readjusting the resin inlay and closing the clearance, implant mucosal status and food impaction were significantly reduced (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study showed that use of the MDA crown for closing PCL was time-saving and effective with satisfactory results at 3-year follow-up.

The development of a tool to predict temperature-exposure of incinerated teeth using colourimetric and hydroxyapatite crystal size data.

This study presents a novel tool to predict temperature-exposure of incinerated pig teeth as a proxy for understanding impacts of fire on human teeth. Previous studies on the estimation of temperature-exposure of skeletal elements have been limited to that of heat-exposed bone. This predictive tool was developed using a multinomial regression model of colourimetric and hydroxyapatite crystal size variables using data obtained from unheated pig teeth and teeth incinerated at 300 °C, 600 °C, 800 °C and 1000 °C. An additional variable based on the observed appearance of the tooth was included in the tool. This enables the tooth to be classified as definitely burnt (600 °C-1000 °C) or uncertain (27 °C/300 °C). As a result, the model predicting the temperature-exposure of the incinerated teeth had an accuracy of 95%. This tool is a holistic, robust and reliable approach to estimate temperature of heat-exposed pig teeth, with high accuracy, and may act as a valuable proxy to estimate heat exposure for human teeth in forensic casework.

The Broad Variability in Dental Age Observed among Childhood Survivors Is Cancer Specific.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to assess the differences in dental maturation between childhood cancer survivors and healthy children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine cancer patients including 16 (27.1%) girls and 43 (72.8%) boys, aged between 4 and 16 years, underwent dental and radiographic examinations. The mean duration of anticancer therapy was 16.8 months (range, 1 to 47 months), and 4.6 years (range, 8 to 123 months) had passed since the termination of disease. The control group consisted of 177 panoramic radiographs of age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. Dental age (DA) was estimated with Demirjian's scale and delta age, i.e., DA-chronological age (CA), was used to compare groups. RESULTS: The DA of cancer survivors was accelerated by almost 1 year compared to their CA (9.9±3.1 vs. 8.9±2.8, p=0.040). The greatest difference was observed among patients with brain tumor: delta (DA-CA) was 2.2±1.1 years. Among all cancer patients, only children with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)-associated hepatoblastoma (HP) demonstrated delayed DA, with regard to both other cancer survivors (p=0.011) and healthy patients (p=0.037). All four patients with HP suffered from FAP, and three of them had documented adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) genes mutation. The DA of cancer patients having teeth with short roots was significantly greater than that of the cancer survivors without this anomaly (12.8±3.2 vs. 9.0±2.4, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: DA in children may be altered by cancer disease.

Tooth Enamel and its Dynamic Protein Matrix.

Tooth enamel is the outer covering of tooth crowns, the hardest material in the mammalian body, yet fracture resistant. The extremely high content of 95 wt% calcium phosphate in healthy adult teeth is achieved through mineralization of a proteinaceous matrix that changes in abundance and composition. Enamel-specific proteins and proteases are known to be critical for proper enamel formation. Recent proteomics analyses revealed many other proteins with their roles in enamel formation yet to be unraveled. Although the exact protein composition of healthy tooth enamel is still unknown, it is apparent that compromised enamel deviates in amount and composition of its organic material. Why these differences affect both the mineralization process before tooth eruption and the properties of erupted teeth will become apparent as proteomics protocols are adjusted to the variability between species, tooth size, sample size and ephemeral organic content of forming teeth. This review summarizes the current knowledge and published proteomics data of healthy and diseased tooth enamel, including advancements in forensic applications and disease models in animals. A summary and discussion of the status quo highlights how recent proteomics findings advance our understating of the complexity and temporal changes of extracellular matrix composition during tooth enamel formation.

Apical periodontitis healing and postoperative pain following endodontic treatment with a reciprocating single-file, single-cone approach: A randomized controlled pragmatic clinical trial.

This trial assessed post-operative pain and healing of apical periodontitis following endodontic therapy with a reciprocating system compared to a crown-down technique with hand files and lateral compaction filling. One-hundred and twenty nonvital anterior teeth with apical periodontitis were randomly treated using either a reciprocating single file followed by matching-taper single-cone filling or a hand file and lateral compaction filling. Postoperative pain was assessed during the 7 days after the treatment, using a visual analogue scale and a verbal rating scale. Apical healing was assessed using the periapical index score after a 12-month follow-up. The hypothesis tested was that both protocols were equivalent and present similar effectiveness in healing periapical lesions. Data were analyzed through two one-sided tests, t-tests, as well as Mann-Whitney and Chi-squared tests (α = 0.05). Logistic regression was used to investigate the association of clinical and demographic factors with the success of treatment. Regardless of the assessment time, no difference in incidence (38%-43% at first 24h), intensity of postoperative pain, and incidence of flare-up (≈ 3%) was observed between the two endodontic protocols. Both protocols resulted in a similar healing rate of apical periodontitis. After 12 months, the success rate ranged from 73% to 78% and the difference between the treatments fell within the pre-established equivalence margin (-0.1; -0.41 to 0.2). Endodontic treatment combining a reciprocating single file with matching-taper single cone showed similar clinical effectiveness to the treatment using hand-file instrumentation and the lateral compaction filling.

Condition of mineralized tooth tissue in a population of 15-year-old adolescents living in a region of Ukraine with slightly exceeded fluorine concentration in the water.

INTRODUCTION: Fluorine is a common element in nature; however, the difference between a beneficial dose and a toxic dose for the organisms is small. The main source of fluoride for humans is water in addition to food. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to estimate the degree of severity of pathological changes, namely, caries or fluorosis, in the mineralized tooth tissue of 15-year-old adolescents with respect to their hygienic and nutritional habits, and the content of fluorine in drinking water, soil and plant products. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 100 adolescents aged 15 from schools in Sosnilka, L'viv region, were examined. The condition of mineralized tooth tissue was evaluated by the caries severity, expressed by the mean number D3MFT, caries frequency and value of the SIC index. Fluorine in plant material and soil were determined according to the PN-G-04543:1982 standard, and water according to the PN-EN ISO 10304 - 1: 2009+ AC: 2012 standard. RESULTS: Severity of caries disease expressed by the D3MFT number in the examined group of 15-year-olds was 3.39; in the group of girls - 3.08, and in the group of boys - 3.76. In the examined group, the average number of teeth with fluorosis was 7.59. Value of the SIC index among the examined population of students (n-31) was 6.26: 5.89 (n-18) for girls and 7.31 (n-13) for boys. Fluorine concentration in the water was 0.78 - 1.25(mg·dm-3). In the soil, it also did not vary across the sampled areas and amounted, on average, to 176 mg·dm-3. The biggest fluorine content noted in the dry mass of beetroots was 3.50 (mg F· kg), and the lowest - 3.34 (mg F· kg). CONCLUSIONS: Close to optimal fluorine content lowers caries severity and frequency of fluorosis. Optimal fluorine content in drinking water and food does not require additional diet supplementation.

Dental occlusion as one cause of tinnitus.

There is large support in literature linking tinnitus to dental occlusion and temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). However, there is no model to explain such a link. This hypothesis explains how the fusimotor system of the muscles innervated by the trigeminal motor nucleus is affected by inadequacies in the occlusion of the teeth that cause changes in posture and movement of the mandible. Reptile to mammal evolution shows that stomatognathic structures underwent changes related to mastication. Among several changes, there was the appearance of a new articulation between the mandible and skull: the temporomandibular joint. The bones of the old reptile joint, quadrate-articular, have detached from the mandible and are part of the middle ear bone chain. The former becomes the incus and the latter the malleus. This bone change also carried the tensor tympani and its trigeminal motor innervation. Inadequate occlusal contacts give rise to an adapted function of the mandible and the most common compensatory muscular response is hypertonia involving all mandibular muscles, including the tensor tympani. A fundamental clinical feature that demonstrates the involvement of the trigeminal fusimotor system is the characteristic pain by palpation, but no pain on the mandibular movement. Muscle pain is always felt in the dermatome innervated by the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve, which carries the motor fibers, reported as tightening, similar to cramp, and has regular behavior in intensity, duration and frequency. In addition, the patient has increased musculature volume, detected by palpation of certain anatomical landmarks, but with loss of functional efficiency. The neuromotor control of the mandibular movements is poor and when asked to make lateral jaw movement touching the teeth, it is common to observe that the patient moves the lips, eyes, and even turns the head in the same direction as the movement. There is also difficulty eating hard foods and talking fast. Tongue biting while chewing is frequent, meaning that these non-physiological events surpass protective reflex circuits. The report of ear pain, tinnitus, blocked ear sensation and sudden hearing loss is common in such patients, compatible with the tonic contraction of the tensor tympani. The fusimotor system hypothesis is able to explain all events related to the symptoms and helps to establish a correct diagnosis for certain types of hearing disorders.

Effect of variable periodontal ligament thickness and its non-linear material properties on the location of a tooth's centre of resistance.

In orthodontics, the 3D translational and rotational movement of a tooth is determined by the force-moment system applied and the location of the tooth's centre of resistance (CR). Because of the practical constraints of in-vivo experiments, the finite element (FE) method is commonly used to determine the CR. The objective of this study was to investigate the geometric model details required for accurate CR determination, and the effect of material non-linearity of the periodontal ligament (PDL). A FE model of a human lower canine derived from a high-resolution µCT scan (voxel size: 50 µm) was investigated by applying four different modelling approaches to the PDL. These comprised linear and non-linear material models, each with uniform and realistic PDL thickness. The CR locations determined for the four model configurations were in the range 37.2-45.3% (alveolar margin: 0%; root apex: 100%). We observed that a non-linear material model introduces load-dependent results that are dominated by the PDL regions under tension. Load variation within the range used in clinical orthodontic practice resulted in CR variations below 0.3%. Furthermore, the individualized realistic PDL geometry shifted the CR towards the alveolar margin by 2.3% and 2.8% on average for the linear and non-linear material models, respectively. We concluded that for conventional clinical therapy and the generation of representative reference data, the least sophisticated modelling approach with linear material behaviour and uniform PDL thickness appears sufficiently accurate. Research applications that require more precise treatment monitoring and planning may, however, benefit from the more accurate results obtained from the non-linear constitutive law and individualized realistic PDL geometry.

Investigations on the adhesion of new composites for restoring cervical lesions using energy dispersive X-ray analysis and scanning electron microscopy.

Restoration of noncarious cervical lesions with resin composites is one of the treatment options, but the retention of the restorations located at the crown-root junction is still a cause of clinical concern. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adhesive properties of three experimental resin composites and two commercial materials used to restore cavities prepared on extracted teeth as well as to determine the relative elemental composition of these materials. We tested the null hypothesis, which considered that the adhesive behaviours of different resin composites did not differ. The microleakage test using tracers showed that all tested materials exhibited some degree of dentinal microleakage, although they all had good dentinal adhesion. The results failed to reject the null hypothesis. The scanning electron microscopy revealed completely adapted adhesive interfaces underneath the restorations along with well-developed hybrid layers depending on the adhesive system. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis analyses showed that the restorative materials have similar chemical compositions, with some differences between the samples from the same material. The results support the implementation of experimental resins in clinical settings.

Ion Channels Involved in Tooth Pain.

The tooth has an unusual sensory system that converts external stimuli predominantly into pain, yet its sensory afferents in teeth demonstrate cytochemical properties of non-nociceptive neurons. This review summarizes the recent knowledge underlying this paradoxical nociception, with a focus on the ion channels involved in tooth pain. The expression of temperature-sensitive ion channels has been extensively investigated because thermal stimulation often evokes tooth pain. However, temperature-sensitive ion channels cannot explain the sudden intense tooth pain evoked by innocuous temperatures or light air puffs, leading to the hydrodynamic theory emphasizing the microfluidic movement within the dentinal tubules for detection by mechanosensitive ion channels. Several mechanosensitive ion channels expressed in dental sensory systems have been suggested as key players in the hydrodynamic theory, and TRPM7, which is abundant in the odontoblasts, and recently discovered PIEZO receptors are promising candidates. Several ligand-gated ion channels and voltage-gated ion channels expressed in dental primary afferent neurons have been discussed in relation to their potential contribution to tooth pain. In addition, in recent years, there has been growing interest in the potential sensory role of odontoblasts; thus, the expression of ion channels in odontoblasts and their potential relation to tooth pain is also reviewed.

Healing Capacity of Autologous Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Partially Pulpotomized Dogs' Teeth.

INTRODUCTION: Partial pulpotomy is a vital treatment for carious and traumatic exposure, especially in young permanent teeth. Cell-based therapy for partially pulpotomized teeth can be considered a promising approach for dentin-pulp complex regeneration. This study evaluated the healing capacity of autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) on partially pulpotomized teeth in a dog model. METHODS: Twelve mongrel dogs were selected, and a total number of 192 posterior mandibular and maxillary teeth were involved in the study (16 teeth per dog). Partial pulpotomies were performed, and the dogs were assigned into 2 equal groups (groups 1 and 2), 6 dogs in each group. The coronal pulp cavities (n = 96) of group 1 were filled with calcium silicate-based capping material. Group 2 coronal pulp cavities (n = 96) were seeded with 1 × 105 cell/mL BMSCs, and then the cavities were filled with calcium silicate-based capping material. After placing the capping materials, the cavities of both groups (1 and 2) were filled with resin-modified glass ionomer restorative material. From each group, 48 teeth from 3 dogs were evaluated histologically after 1 week, and the other 48 teeth from the remaining 3 dogs were evaluated after 9 weeks. Scoring was done for the amount of inflammatory cell infiltrates, tissue necrosis, and thickness of hard tissue bridge formation. RESULTS: The Mann-Whitney U statistical test performed for hard tissue bridge formation revealed significant differences between the 2 groups at the 1- (P < .05) and 9-week (P < .05) examination periods. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous BMSCs have significant therapeutic potential because they enhance the healing capacity of partially pulpotomized dogs' teeth.

Intranasal Administration of Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Human Teeth Stem Cells Improves Motor Symptoms and Normalizes Tyrosine Hydroxylase Expression in the Substantia Nigra and Striatum of the 6-Hydroxydopamine-Treated Rats.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. At present, there is no effective cure for PD; treatments are symptomatic and do not halt progression of neurodegeneration. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can cross the blood-brain barrier and represent promising alternative to the classical treatment strategies. In the present study, we examined therapeutic effects of intranasal administration of EVs derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth stem cells (SHEDs) on unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) medial forebrain bundle (MFB) rat model of PD. CatWalk gait tests revealed that EVs effectively suppressed 6-OHDA-induced gait impairments. All tested gait parameters (stand, stride length, step cycle, and duty cycle) were significantly improved in EV-treated animals when compared with 6-OHDA-lesion group rats. Furthermore, EVs slowed down numbers of 6-OHDA-induced contralateral rotations in apomorphine test. Improvements in motor function correlated with normalization of tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the striatum and substantia nigra. In conclusion, we demonstrated, for the first time, the therapeutic efficacy of intranasal administration of EVs derived from SHEDs in a rat model of PD induced by 6-OHDA intra-MFB lesion. Our findings could be potentially exploited for the development of new treatment strategies against PD.

Developmental dental anomalies and their potential role in establishing identity in post-mortem cases: a review.

Teeth may provide useful forensic evidence owing to features like uniqueness, stability and comparability. Moreover, the human dentition is heterodont, i.e. all the teeth have different morphology - incisors, canines, premolars and molars. There are sometimes deviations from normal morphology, such as the presence of extra teeth, variation in their shape and size eg the presence of an extra cusp, fractured crown/root, Carabelli's cusp, peg laterals, transpositions, fusion, etc. These differences can help forensic personnel identify bodies, especially where other methods of identification like facial features, fingerprints or DNA typing cannot yield satisfactory results as in cases of badly decomposed bodies, burnt remains, mass disasters, etc. Identification from dentition is based on the direct comparison of post-mortem dental profiles with ante-mortem dental records of the deceased. This article aims to review these developmental and morphological dental traits and their role in post-mortem identification.

The effectiveness of an occlusal disclosure sheet to diagnose sleep bruxism: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of vacuum-pressed, BruxChecker® sheets for the diagnosis of sleep bruxism. METHODS: Twenty subjects participated in this study. Tooth contact during sleep was recorded using a 0.1 mm-thick polyvinyl chloride sheet called BruxChecker®. The area of the BruxChecker® in which the red dye was removed was measured. In addition, the EMG activity of the masseter muscle during sleep was recorded. The numbers of bruxism bursts and episodes were counted, and their correlations with the peeled area of the red dye on the BruxChecker® were evaluated. RESULTS: The number of bruxism bursts and episodes/hr significantly correlated with the peeled area at all cut-off values. The peeled area significantly correlated with the number of phasic type bruxism episodes but not with tonic or mixed type bruxism episodes. DISCUSSION: Since the BruxChecker® peeled area reflected phasic type sleep bruxism, the sheets may be useful in sleep bruxism screening.

Prevalence, complications and dental management of the oral cancer in the pediatric patients.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of childhood malignancy is greatest in the 1st year of life, with the second peak to be found at 2-3 years of age. The aim for the study was to investigate the incidence and nature of oral problems occurring in a population of child cancer patients; the other aim was to assess the dental management of the treatment undergoing children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All child patients between 2 and 15 years old were admitted to the medical hospital for the treatment of newly diagnosed oral cancer over a period of 1 year were included in the study. Hundred children, 50 males and 50 females were examined in the study. Out of the 100 children, 65 children who confirmed; with the diagnosis of oral cancer were included in the study. RESULTS: Twenty children were found to have untreated dental caries at their initial dental screening; five children required dental extractions before chemotherapy. Fifty of the children in the study group did develop oral problems at some stage after their admission to the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: The delay before diagnosis varies from few weeks to approximately 10 months. Children seem particularly susceptible to the stomatotoxic effects of chemotherapy, and therefore, warrant special attention in preventing and treating these problems.

Impact of oral rehabilitation on the quality of life of partially dentate elders in a randomised controlled clinical trial: 2 year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: This randomised clinical trial aimed to compare the impact of two different tooth replacement strategies for partially dentate older patients namely; removable partial dentures (RPDs) and functionally orientated treatment based on the shortened dental arch (SDA) concept, on Oral Health-related Quality of Life (OHrQOL). METHODS: 89 patients completed a randomised clinical trial. Patients were recruited in two centres: Cork University Dental Hospital (CUDH) and a Geriatric Day Hospital (SFDH). 44 patients were randomly allocated to the RPD group and 45 to the SDA group where adhesive bridgework was used to provide 10 pairs of occluding contacts. The impact of treatment on OHrQOL was used as the primary outcome measure. Each patient completed the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) at baseline, 1, 6, 12 and 24 months after treatment. RESULTS: Both treatment groups reported improvements in OHIP-14 scores at 24 months (p<0.05). For the SDA group OHIP-14 scores improved by 8.0 scale points at 12 months (p<0.001) and 5.9 scale points at 24 months (p<0.05). For the RPD group OHIP-14 scores improved by 5.7 scale points at 12 months (p<0.05) and 4.2 scale points at 24 months (p<0.05). Analysis using ANCOVA showed that there were significant between group differences recorded in both treatment centres. 24 months after intervention the SDA group recorded better OHIP-14 scores by an average of 2.9 points in CUDH (p<0.0001) and by an average of 7.9 points in SFDH (p<0.0001) compared to the RPD group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in the SDA group maintained their improvements in OHrQOL scores throughout the 24 month study period. For the RPD group the initial improvement in OHrQOL score began to diminish after 6 months, particularly for those treated in SFDH. Thus, the benefits of functionally orientated treatment increased over time, particularly for the older, more systemically unwell cohort in SFDH.

Dental implants - are they better than natural teeth?

Nowadays, patients find much information on dental treatment from the Internet. There is a vast amount of information on dental implants, in contrast to the limited information available on natural teeth. This review addresses research on survival of natural teeth and dental implants, and discusses factors affecting the survival rate of implants, as well as certain dogmas in implant dentistry. To simplify treatment planning, the article presents a classification system in which teeth are classified as secure, doubtful, or irrational to treat. Secure teeth should last for a long period of time without need for complex treatment. Doubtful teeth are teeth that might need complicated treatment and additional maintenance in order to be maintained. Teeth irrational to treat are teeth that cannot be saved and for which extraction is the only treatment option. Multiple risk factors might decrease the survival probability of teeth. The survival and success rates of dental implants will never succeed the survival rates of healthy, clean teeth. Dental implants and implant-supported restorations are an excellent treatment modality, but it must always be kept in mind that it is associated with a risk of biological and technical complications. Implants are supposed to replace missing teeth - they are not supposed to replace teeth.

Number of remaining teeth and its association with socioeconomic status in South Korean adults: Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2012-2013.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with systemic disease and influences oral and general health. Several studies have found inequalities associated with oral health and SES. We examined the relationship between tooth loss and SES in Korean adults using data from the 2012-2013 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Methods: A total of 7,005 participants were included in this study. Subjects were divided into two groups depending on their total number of natural teeth: <20 and ≥20. Next, participants were divided into quartiles depending on household income and educational level. Multivariate logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios (OR) for remaining teeth according to income and education levels. RESULTS: As income and education levels increased, subjects were more likely to have ≥20 remaining teeth (p-value and p-value for trend <0.001), brush their teeth more than three times per day, use extra oral products, and have regular oral-health checkups (all p<0.001). The odds of having ≥20 remaining teeth increased with increases in income and education, after adjusting for all covariates (OR = 1.493 for income Q3, OR = 1.571 for income Q4; OR = 1.763 for 10-12 years education, OR = 2.189 for ≥13years education). CONCLUSION: Subjects with higher SES had more remaining teeth than subjects with lower SES. Preserving remaining teeth should be encouraged in subjects with low SES by promoting good oral-health behavior and encouraging more oral-health checkups.

The evaluation of teeth loosening of the upper jaw in adaptive period of orthodontic treatment by braces.

OBJECTIVE: Introduction: Tooth loosening is divided into physiological and pathological one, but there is tooth loosening that occurs during orthodontic treatment (OT) and depends on the tissues of parodontium and strength of orthodontic apparatus. The aim of the research is to evaluate teeth loosening of the upper jaw during adaptive period in patients with permanent bite who were treated by braces. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: Periostometry (device «Periotest¼) of teeth to 30 patients who are from 14 to 27 years old with the pathology of the first type based Angle's classification. The evaluation of teeth loosening was done before OT, in 1 month, in 3 months and in 6 months. RESULTS: Results: The average index of teeth loosening before OT in patients included 3,08±1,29, so it corresponded to norm indices. In 1 month after braces fixation indices of tooth loosening were increased. Middle index of teeth loosening on the third month of OT was 5,84±0,77 relative units, that in 1,9 times more than periostometric indices before OT. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Changes of teeth loosening during OT by braces during the first month after fixation. It should be noted that during the first month of OT data of periostometry determine the enlargement of teeth loosening of all teeth in 1,38, in 3 months there is decrease of teeth loosening for all types of teeth. On the 6th month of OT indices of teeth loosening continue decreasing but with lesser intensity and not achieve such level which was to the beginning of OT.