Prematurely erupted tooth in the molar region

Prematurely erupted teeth may be found in the mouth of a baby at birth or in the first few days after birth. The aetiology of the premature eruption is not known, but many factors have been associated. Such teeth are usually extracted to prevent their aspiration especially when they are mobile. This paper reports the case of a thirty-three-day old male child who was seen at the outpatient clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan with a tooth- like structure in the maxillary right molar region. This firm structure which resembled a primary molar had only two definite buccal cusps, no lingual cusp and no occlusal table. Based on the immature form and the mobility, the tooth was extracted. The poor prognosis associated with such prematurely erupted teeth needs to be recognized and treatment instituted accordingly. The need to adopt a transcultural approach in managing cases in which parents\\u27 cultural beliefs create anxiety over the presence of such teeth was also stressed. It was concluded that dental professionals have a role to play in the management of neonates with premature tooth eruption so as to prevent complications

Talon cusp: clinical features, diagnosis and orthodontic consideration in management

Talon cusp is a rare odontogenic anomaly of tooth shape comprising of accessory cusp-like structure often present on the palatal surface of maxillary or mandibular incisor. This developmental anomaly causes clinical problems including unsightly dental appearance, occlusal interference, and displacement of the affected tooth, irritation of the tongue, caries and malocclusion. Few cases have been reported in this environment. Management of the talon cusp varies according to the circumstances of the individual case and should be as conservative as possible. This report presents a case of a 15-year -old Nigerian girl with talon cusp on the maxillary left central incisor. The talon cusp was managed conservatively and orthodontic treatment was concurrently carried out. It is concluded that when talon cusp occur in association with an occlusal anomaly, careful evaluation of the patient is crucial for successful talon cusp occur in association with an occlusal anomaly, careful evaluation of the patient is crucial for successful orthodontic treatment

Knowledge and Attitude of clinical level dental students concerning HIV/AIDS

Objective: To determine the knowledge and attitude of clinical level dental students concerning Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Methods: Two hundred and fifteen clinical level dental students from three Nigerian universities were requested to complete a self- administered questionnaire related to knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS. Parameters assessed included the aetiology and modes of transmission, high- risk groups, common oral and general manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Results: The male to female ratio was approximately 1:1, with an age range of 20-36 years. The respondents exhibited excellent knowledge of the aetiologic agent, the modes of transmission, high- risk groups, common oral manifestations and prevention of HIV/AIDS. However, they were less knowledgeable about the general features, diagnosis, treatment, aims of treatment and infection control measures. One hundred and sixty (70.4%) of the respondents stated that they did not have any reservations dealing with patients with HIV/AIDS while 55 (29.6%) felt that with improved knowledge they would be more confident in issues related to HIV/AIDS. Conclusion: Although Nigerian dental students exhibited good knowledge and positive attitude concerning HIV/AIDS, this study showed that knowledge of laboratory investigations and infection control measures were poor. These areas need emphasis in the dental school curriculum