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Molar‐incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is a qualitative defect of dental enamel characterized by demarcated opacities present in permanent first molars and other teeth. It is considered a major clinical challenge in dentistry because it makes affected teeth more susceptible to fractures and dental caries. Its diagnosis is mainly clinical and there are few technological resources that allow for a more accurate diagnosis, especially with respect to the depth of the defect in the dental enamel. In this context, optical coherence tomography (OCT), which is routinely used in ophthalmology, can produce images of the depth of the dental enamel, making it a promising method. In this study, 33 teeth with different MIH severities were evaluated using OCT and microcomputed tomography (microCT). Semi‐quantitative methods of grayscale pattern analysis were used to compare images obtained from different severities of MIH with the mineral density obtained through microCT. MicroCT evaluation revealed that hypomineralized enamel had a significantly lower mineral density than intact enamel. However, this difference was not observed between the mild and severe MIH lesions. In the OCT evaluation, significant differences were observed between the intact and hypomineralized enamel, and the gray value comparison provided a method for quantitative differentiation between the two. This study suggests that OCT could be a useful adjunct to traditional diagnostic methods for MIH, offering a noninvasive approach to evaluate enamel defects. Research Highlights: Combining optical coherence tomography with grayscale digital analysis shows potential as a promising method for diagnosing molar‐incisor hypomineralization and assessing its level of severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myelomeningocele (MMC) is a congenital malformation that occurs in the embryonic period, characterized by failure in closure of the caudal portion of the neural tube during central nervous system formation. Alterations and complications can be associated with this condition, such as hydrocephalus, neurogenic bladder, orthopedic problems, and motor and cognitive impairment. This patients with MMC also have predisposition to develop latex allergy and high caries risk and activity due to deficient oral hygiene, fermentable carbon hydrate-rich diet and prolonged use of sugar-containing oral medications. This paper reports the oral findings and dental treatment in a 15-year-old female patient diagnosed with MMC and describes the strategies used to improve dental treatment conditions and reduce the impact of associated risks to her health. The measures and precautions adopted in this case could be useful to reduce the barriers for patients with the same condition to access oral health care: regular visits to the dentist, initiating as early as possible; frequent reinforcement of oral homecare instructions and diet counseling; minor adaptions to the dental chair and dental office to improve ease of access due to patients' mobility problems; prevention of latex-related allergic reactions; reduction of gag reflex during dental procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. This study aims to compare the alterations in the methylation profiles of E-cadherin in oral cancer, especially in tumors with lowest metatastic potential. Methods. Nine oral verrucous carcinomas (VCs), 20 oral well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas without lymph node involvement (SCC-pN0), and 17 with lymph node involvement (SCC-pN+) were analyzed using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin gene. Results. The immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin in VC was significantly higher (p = .016) when compared with SCC-pN0 and SCC-pN+ groups. The E-cadherin gene methylation was not correlated with its abnormal immunohistochemical expression in VC and SCC-pN0. All tumors of the SCC-pN+ group with unmethylated E-cadherin gene showed significant loss of E-cadherin immunoexpression (p = .044). Conclusions. The E-cadherin gene methylation presence in tumors with lowest invasive and metastatic potential, such as VC, suggests the early involvement of this epigenetic event in the multistep progression of the oral carcinogenesis. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]