Patients' attitudes to wearing of gloves by dentists in Nigeria

(East African Medical Journal: 2001 78(4): 220-222

Assessment of the effects of digit sucking habit on the masticatory musculature using motion mode Ultrasonography

Objective : This study assessed the effect of active digit sucking on muscle thickness and fractional shortening of the masseter, lateral pterygoid, and temporalis in a population of Nigerian children using motion mode ultrasonography.Methods : The sample consisted of 100 selected children aged 7-12 years, divided into two equal groups of digit sucking and nonsucking. Participants were matched for age groups and gender. Ultrasonography evaluation (2 D and motion mode) of the masticatory muscles was performed using a linear probe of 7.5 MHz. The muscle thickness at contraction/relaxation and fractional shortening was determined. Independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and Two-way ANOVA were used for data analysis.Results : Whilst temporalis and lateral pterygoid muscles demonstrated a significant increase in thickness during relaxation (p<0.0001), a significant reduction in fractional shortening was observed (p<0.0001) in the sucking when compared to the non-sucking group.Similarly, only the temporalis muscle was significantly reduced during the contraction phase (p<0.01). For masseter mid-belly, both right and left sides in digit sucking subjects showed a significant increase in the thickness at contraction. At the same time, a reduction was observed in fractional shortening (p<0.05). Males and females with digit habit showed significantly greater muscle thickness in temporalis and lateral pterygoid during contraction and relaxation phases, whereas a reduction was observed in fractional shortening. Significant associations were observed between the frequency of sucking and muscle thickness in masseter and temporalis in fractional shortening (p<0.05).Conclusion : Our findings corroborate the assumption that persistent digit sucking in children can affect the morphology and function of the masticatory muscles

Awareness of malocclusion and desire for orthodontic treatment in 11 to 14 year-old Nigerian schoolchildren and their parents

To investigate Nigerian children’s and their parents’ satisfaction with the children’s facial and dental appearances and their desire for orthodontic treatment, and to compare their assessments of treatment need with those determined by an orthodontist

Estudo do relacionamento ântero-posterior entre os arcos dentários decíduos, de crianças nipo-brasileiras, dos dois aos seis anos de idade Study of the anteroposterior relationship between deciduous dental arches of Japanese-Brazilian children, from 2 to 6 years of age

OBJETIVO: verificar as prevalências dos diferentes tipos de relacionamentos ântero-posteriores entre os arcos dentários decíduos, bem como o possível dimorfismo sexual, em crianças nipo-brasileiras na faixa etária dos dois aos seis anos de idade. METODOLOGIA: foram avaliadas por inspeção visual 310 crianças nipo-brasileiras, matriculadas em 19 escolas do estado de São Paulo, sendo 154 do gênero masculino e 156 do feminino. Os resultados foram submetidos ao teste do qui-quadrado e revelaram ausência de dimorfismo sexual para a maioria dos relacionamentos analisados, permitindo apresentar os resultados conjuntamente para ambos os gêneros. RESULTADOS: as prevalências dos relacionamentos entre os segundos molares decíduos foram: 47,4% para o degrau mesial, 41,3% para o plano terminal reto, 5,5% para o degrau distal e 5,8% para os casos com assimetrias. Para os relacionamentos entre os caninos decíduos, conforme Foster e Hamilton, constataram-se prevalências de 77,4% para a Classe 1, 6,8% para a Classe 2, 6,8% para a Classe 3 e 9% para as relações assimétricas. Apenas a Classe 2 apresentou dimorfismo sexual, sendo de 3,9% para o feminino e de 9,7% para o masculino. Quanto à sobressaliência verificaram-se prevalências de 71,3% para a normal, 14,2% para a aumentada, 7,4% para a mordida cruzada anterior e 7,1% para a mordida topo-a-topo. RESULTADOS: concluiu-se que a maioria das crianças nipo-brasileiras avaliadas neste estudo, apresentaram um relacionamento ântero-posterior normal entre os arcos decíduos, merecendo atenção uma ligeira tendência para o desenvolvimento da Classe 3.<br>AIM: the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to verify the prevalences of different types of anteroposterior relationships between deciduous dental arches and its possible sexual dimorphism, in Japanese-Brazilian children from 2 to 6 years of age. METHODS: a total of 310 Japanese-Brazilian children from 19 schools in São Paulo, Brazil, comprising 154 males and 156 females, were examined by visual inspection. The qui-square statistical test was applied to evaluate the data, and the results revealed no statistically significant sexual dimorphism for the majority of types of anteroposterior relationship. Therefore, the results for both genders were grouped together. RESULTS: the prevalences of anteroposterior relationships between deciduous second molars were: mesial step, 47.4%; flush terminal plane, 41.3%; distal step, 5.5% and asymmetric cases, 5.8%. The prevalences of anteroposterior relationship of deciduous canines were: Class 1, 77.4%; Class 2, 6.8%; Class 3, 6.8% and asymmetric cases, 9%. Only Class 2 revealed sexual dimorphism: 3.9% for female and 9.7% for male. The prevalences of overjet, were: normal, 71.3%; increased, 14.2%; anterior cross-bite, 7.4% and edge-to-edge bite, 7.1%. CONCLUSION: it was concluded that the majority of Japanese-Brazilian children evaluated in this study showed normal anteriorposterior relationship between dental arches, with a slightly tendency for the development of Class 3