Non-Syndromic Supernumerary Premolars with Striking Symmetry –A case report

Aim and objective - Non-syndromic multiple supernumerary teeth are most commonly seen in mandibular premolar region. Dental literature rarely reports symmetrical supernumerary teeth in all four quadrants.  This case reports the unique distribution of supernumerary premolars symmetrically in all the four quadrants .Early diagnosis helps in treatment planning.Case description – This case describes a 17 year old female patient who presented with the complaint of food impaction in the left mandibular premolar region. Intra oral examination revealed the presence of a supplemental premolar tooth in the same region. A panoramic radiograph revealed four supernumerary premolars, each positioned symmetrically in second premolar regions.Conclusion - Supernumerary premolar teeth are usually detected coincidentally on radiographs. This case report stresses the early detection, radiographic examination and frequent evaluation to detect any complications that may be associated with supernumerary premolars

Prevalence of dental caries in people attending special schools in Hyderabad-Secunderabad, India

Aim: The present cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the decayed, missing, filled primary and permanent teeth (dmft-DMFT) indices and its association with the type of disability in 856 disabled individuals attending special schools in twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh State, India. Materials and Methods: Participants were grouped according to their disability such as: Mild, moderate, severe mental retardation, hearing and speech defect and others (39) (including Down′s syndrome [20], autism [9], hyperactive [4], microcephaly [2], border line cases [4]). Examination was carried out at their schools, with participants seated in ordinary chairs and examined under natural light with mouth mirror and probe. Subjects were of different age groups ranging from 1 to 55 years. Statistical Analysis Used: Analysis of variance with post-hoc Games-Howell test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Mean dmft; DMFT scores were as follows: 2-6 years: 1.58 ± 1.9; 2.18 ± 2.94, 7-12 years: 1.1 ± 2.4; 1.9 ± 2.13, 13-30 years: 2.38 ± 2.5, 30+ years: 2.13 ± 3.2. Overall only 23% of subjects were caries free. "dmft" was statistically higher among moderate mentally retarded group while DMFT was statistically higher in mild and moderate mentally retarded groups. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the need of educating parents and caregivers of disabled individuals in preventive dental procedures, especially those of the mild and moderate mentally challenged group

Endodontic treatment and esthetic management of a primary double tooth with direct composite using silicone buildup guide

Gemination and fusion are morphological dental anomalies, characterized by the formation of a clinically wide tooth. Gemination occurs when one tooth bud tries to divide, while fusion occurs if two buds unite. The terms double teeth, double formation, conjoined teeth, geminifusion, vicinifusion and dental twinning are often used to describe fusion and gemination. Double teeth are associated with clinical problems such as poor esthetics, spacing problems and caries susceptibility. Management of such cases requires a comprehensive knowledge of the clinical entity as well as the problems associated with it. This report presents a case of primary double tooth in a 6-year-old boy involving maxillary left central incisor. The anomalous tooth was carious and pulpally involved. This was treated conservatively by endodontic treatment and esthetic rehabilitation was done with direct composite restoration using a silicone buildup guide. The treated tooth was followed up until exfoliation

Facial talon cusp: A rarity, report of a case with one year follow up and flashback on reported cases

Talon cusp is a relatively uncommon developmental anomaly characterized by cusp-like projections, usually presenting on palatal/lingual surface of the anterior teeth. This cusp resembles an eagle's talon, and hence the name. Normal enamel and dentin covers the cusp, which may or may not contain an extension of pulp. Presence of this anomalous cusp on the facial surface of an anterior tooth is a rare finding and very few cases have been reported in the literature. In most instances, such cusps are associated with clinical problems such as poor esthetics and caries susceptibility. Management of such cases requires a comprehensive knowledge of the clinical entity as well as the problems associated with it. This case report presents a facial talon cusp on the maxillary left central incisor of a 10 year old boy, which was conservatively treated. Vitality of the affected tooth was maintained and followed up for a period of 1 year

Conservative Vertical Groove Technique for Tooth Rehabilitation: 3-Year Follow-Up

Reattachment of tooth fragment is a simple, conservative, and noninvasive procedure, and it is the most currently acceptable treatment option. This article presents management of two accidentally damaged maxillary incisors using direct composite resin restoration and fractured tooth fragment. With the advancements in adhesive dentistry, tooth fragment reattachment procedure has become simpler and clinically reliable. The present paper is a report of 3-year follow-up of coronally fractured tooth treated with a very conservative technique of tooth fragment reattachment using vertical groove preparation and reinforcement with fiber post

Mandibulo-osseous predictors of osteoporosis: A double-blind study on the correlation and comparison of mental index with bone mineral density in post-menopausal women

Introduction: Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease characterized by microarchitectural deterioration in bone tissue leading to fractures, and is essentially a preventable disease when detected in the early stages. Novel methods for early identification of osteoporosis can have a great impact in combating this otherwise progressive disease. Aims: The present study was conducted with the objectives of evaluating the precision of a radiomorphometric index [mental index (MI)] measured on a panoramic radiograph in early diagnosis of osteoporosis and finding its correlation with bone mineral density (BMD) measured by digital X-ray radiogrammetry method. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of 71 women who were in natural menopause. The MI was calculated by two investigators, with each investigator recording two sets of measurements. The BMD was assessed and the T-score was obtained by digital X-ray radiogrammetry method. Based on the T-score obtained, the patients were divided into three study groups of normal (n = 24), osteopenic (n = 30), and osteoporotic (n = 17). The values obtained were tabulated for statistical analysis. Results: In the present study, it was found that there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of MI among normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic subjects. Normal subjects had significantly higher MI (P < 0.001) than the osteopenic subjects and, similarly, the osteopenic subjects had significantly higher MI (P < 0.001) than the osteoporotic subjects. The inter- and intra-investigator variability was found to be low. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, it was concluded that a simple radiomorphometric index (MI) which is relatively easier to measure on a panoramic radiograph can be an indicator of osteoporosis and may aid in early detection and treatment planning of one of the most prevalent metabolic bone diseases