Investigation of prevalence of dental anomalies by using digital panoramic radiographs

Background: This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of all types and subtypes of dental anomalies among 6- to 40-year-old patients by using panoramic radiographs. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by analysing digital panoramic radiographs of 1200 patients admitted to our clinic in 2014. Dental anomalies were examined under 5 types and 16 subtypes. Dental ano­malies were divided into 5 types: (a) number (including hypodontia, oligodontia and hyperdontia); (b) size (including microdontia and macrodontia); (c) structure (including amelogenesis imperfecta, dentinogenesis imperfecta and dentin dys­plasia); (d) position (including transposition, ectopia, displacement, impaction and inversion); (e) shape (including fusion-gemination, dilaceration and taurodontism). Results: The prevalence of dental anomalies diagnosed by panoramic radiographs was 39.2% (46% in men and 54% in women). Anomalies of position (60.8%) and shape (27.8%) were the most common types of abnormalities and anomalies of size (8.2%), structure (0.2%) and number (17%) were the least in both genders. Anomalies of impaction (45.5%), dilacerations (16.3%), hypodontia (13.8%) and taurodontism (11.2%) were the most common subtypes of dental anomalies. Taurodontism was more common in the age groups of 13–19 years. The age range of the most frequent of all other anomalies was 20–29. Conclusions: Anomalies of tooth position were the most common type of dental anomalies and structure anomalies were the least common in this Turkish po­pulation. The frequency and type of dental anomalies vary within and between populations, confirming the role of racial factors in the prevalence of dental ano­malies. Digital panoramic radiography is a very useful method for the detection of dental anomalies. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 2: 323–328

Evaluation of localisation of mandibular foramen in patients with mandibular third molar teeth using cone-beam computed tomography

Background: It is important to know the correct anatomical location of the mandibular foramen to obtain successful anaesthesia of inferior alveolar nerve and to prevent injury to the mandibular vessels and nerve, during a variety of oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures. The aim of this study is to evaluate localisation of the mandibular foramen in patients with the third molars using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and methods: Cone-beam computed tomography was used to determine the location of the mandibular foramen in 67 patients (totally 99 sides) with unilateral or bilateral impacted mandibular third molars. Results: The distance from the posterior border of the mandibular ramus to mandibular foramen did not differ significantly among the other angulations. But the difference between vertical and horizontal angulation of the impactedmandibular third molars according to ‘fd’ values (the shortest distance between mandibular foramen and the posterior border of mandibular ramus) was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The present study provides new information to the literature concerning relationship between the location of the mandibular foramen and the mandibular third molars