Ackerman′s tumor and field cancerization with emphasis on chemoprevention

Slaughter et al (1953) coined the term ′field cancerization′ for the mucosa of head and neck region undergoing genetic transformation directly proportional to the intensity and duration of carcinogen exposure, making it more susceptible to develop many foci of premalignant lesions and malignant transformation. This increases the overall incidence and variety of oral cancers we encounter in our day-to-day practice. We describe a patient with an exophytic oral lesion diagnosed as verrucous carcinoma, who was already undergoing treatment, regular follow-up and recovering well from speckled leukoplakia. The lesion was completely excised. The patient subsequently developed leukoplakias in the affected field which histopathologically showed mild to moderate dysplasia. This case shows that mucosa was breaking at different points into different premalignant lesions and neoplasm, in spite of patient′s abstinence from the habit and regular treatment with meticulous follow-up, chemoprevention is also briefly reviewed. This report highlights two important aspects: (1) Site-specific treatment is not adequate and (2) Regular, close and meticulous follow-up is important for high-risk patient

Angina bullosa hemorrhagica: Report of two cases

Angina bullosa hemorrhagic (ABH) describes the acute and sometimes painful onset of oral blood-filled vesicles and bullae, not attributable to blood dyscrasia, vesiculobullous disorders, systemic diseases or other known causes. The haemorrhagic bullae spontaneously burst after a short time resulting in ragged, often painless, superficial erosions that heal spontaneously within 1 week without scarring. Trauma appears to be the most common identifiable precipitating factor, but the essential tissue defect is yet unidentified. This paper presents two cases of ABH with the aim to create awareness regarding occurrence of this lesion, thus avoiding any misdiagnosis

Efficacy and evaluation of cone beam computed tomography in determining the prevalence and length of anterior loop of inferior alveolar nerve in North Indian population

Introduction: The section of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) in front of the mental foramen and just before its ramification to the incisive nerve is known as anterior loop (AL) of IAN. Surgeries in the area of the anterior mandible may violate the AL resulting in neurosensory disturbances. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a new imaging modality that provides a multidimensional view of the facial skeleton. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of CBCT in measuring the anterior looping of IAN. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of AL of IAN using CBCT, and to determine AL length using CBCT. Materials and Methods: Out of the total 1075 reported patients, 193 study participants fulfilling the inclusion criteria constituted the sample size were assessed for estimating the prevalence and determining the length of AL of IAN. They were scanned with a suitable digital imaging system for a variety of clinical indications using appropriate Dental Imaging Software. Results: The prevalence of anterior looping was found to be 37.3% and was highest (43.5%) in the age group of 36–56 years and was found to be statistically significant. The mean length of anterior looping was found to be 3.661 mm (SD ± 1.9933) with a maximum loop length of 8.8 mm. Conclusion: CBCT provides an accurate means to determine the anterior looping of IAN, measures its length, and thereby, helps in preoperative surgical planning

Dental Perspective: Recognition and Response to Child Abuse and Neglect in Indian Setting

Child abuse is prevalent in every segment of society and is witnessed in all social, religious and professional strata. India has taken large strides in addressing issues, such as child education, health and development. However, in a country with a child population of around 440 million, child abuse and protection has remained largely unaddressed. Since most of the physical abuse injuries occur in orofacial region, dentists can easily diagnose them. While oral rare professionals may often recognize clinical symptoms suggesting child abuse, they may not always know their legal or ethical obligations to report their findings or suspicions. The intent of the article is to help dental care professionals more accurately identity and report child abuse and neglect with respect to the Indian scenario

Laser: A Powerful Tool for Treatment of Pyogenic Granuloma

Lasers have opened a new door for the treatment of various disorders. Treatment of soft tissue intraoral mucosal growth by laser has profound effect on the patient acceptability taking the functional and aesthetic factor into consideration. The patient is able to get the outdoor treatment without the phobia of local anaesthetic and is out of the clinic in few minutes in contrast to the traditional method of surgical excision. Very few cases have been reported in literature regarding treatment of mucosal growth by soft tissue lasers. We present a case of recurrent pyogenic granuloma in a patient treated with an alternative approach, that is, diode laser, without the use of anaesthesia, sutures, anti-inflammatory drugs, or analgesics. The diagnosis of this lesion is equally important for correct treatment planning

Unfolding the Mysterious Path of Forensic Facial Reconstruction: Review of Different Imaging Modalities

Forensic facial reconstruction (FFR) is the technique that combines art and science to recreate the antemortem appearance of an individual in order to recognize and identify the decedent. Over the years, many techniques of FFR and imaging modalities that provide the basic data for FFR have evolved. There is always a considerable debate and confusion regarding the advantages and limitations of these techniques. The aim of this review is to summarize the different techniques of FFR and emphasize the role of radiological techniques including cone beam computed tomography in it

Herbinaturals: A new paradigm in dentistry

Danta Swasthya (oral health) is important for the general kausalya (well being) and relates to the quality of Jivana (life) that extends beyond the functions of the craniofacial complex. Danta Amivacatana (oral diseases) continues to be a major health problem worldwide. In mainstream Ausadha (medicine), new medical treatments are assumed to be ineffective, until they are proved to be useful. In addition, the adverse effects associated with mainstream medicine makes their use less desirable and less reliable by the population. Traditional medicine is a socioeconomic and sociocultural heritage, serving approximately 80% of the population of developing countries. Heterogeneity, easy availability, enduring recognition, popularity and fewer adverse side effects are some of the key lineaments of traditional Ausadha. This review attempts to introduce several widely used traditional medicines and plant extracts for treating oral diseases, with a highlight on tooth soap, one of the most unrevealed herbal alternative to tooth paste

Complementary Medicine − A Novel Therapeutic Approach for Oral Diseases

With the increasing concern among patients about the adverse effects of conventional medicines’ increased resistance by bacteria to antibiotics and challenges faced by the medical personnel in managing chronic disease and their symptoms, it is becoming essential for the health professionals to have a sound knowledge of complementary and alternative modalities for the treatment of these chronic ailments. Oral physicians and dental health care professionals also face challenges in the management of few dental conditions as a result of resistance of oral microflora due to drug tolerance leading to persistence of symptoms and emergence of other side effects of conventional therapies. Therefore, it is often necessary for the dentists to be aware of complementary and alternative modalities which are popular, safe, effective, and economical alternative treatment regimen. Complementary medicine comprises treatment modalities such as herbal medicines, traditional Chinese medicine, naturopathy, Ayurveda, aromatherapy, homeopathy, acupuncture, magnetic field therapy, ozone therapy, Mora therapy, and many more

Trabeculae type of juvenile aggressive ossifying fibroma of the maxilla: Report of two cases

Juvenile ossifying fibroma (JOF) is a rare controversial fibroosseous lesion affecting the craniofacial skeleton and occurring commonly in children and young adults. It is highly aggressive and has a high tendency to recur. It is distinguished from the adult variant of ossifying fibroma on the basis of age, site, clinical behavior and microscopic appearance. Because of its high recurrence rate, which is 30–58%, complete excision is essential. Early diagnosis will circumvent the necessity of radical treatment. We report a rare case of trabecular JOF of maxilla where a computed tomography scan was taken to further support the characteristic feature of the lesion

Role of cone beam computed tomography in the prompt diagnosis of a nasopalatine duct cyst

The nasopalatine duct cyst (NPDC) is the most common of all the developmental, epithelial, and non-odontogenic cysts of the maxilla, believed to originate from the epithelial remnants of the nasopalatine duct. Typically, the lesion is asymptomatic and is detected accidentally on a radiograph. The definite diagnosis must be based on the clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings. Frequently misdiagnosed, the NPDC is not rare. The motive of reporting an entity that is not very rare is that the lesion is mostly misdiagnosed, and to emphasize the importance of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in the diagnosis and optimized treatment planning of NPDCs