Search

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the maternal risk factors and its relationship with early childhood caries (ECC) among preschoolchildren in Mangaluru city. Methods: Children aged 3–5 years attending preschool (Anganwadi) and their mothers were included in the study. A total of 120 child–mother pairs participated in the study. The maternal risk factors were assessed by a pretested questionnaire. After obtaining the consent, the mother and their children were clinically examined for dental caries using the WHO criteria (1997). Results were analyzed using SPSS 18.0. Results: Significant difference was found in mother's caries activity, high level of Streptococcus mutans, brushing frequency, diet of the mother, and their child's caries experience. Conclusion: A relationship between maternal risk factors and ECC is a result of a multifactorial and a comprehensive model that includes psychological and behavioral aspects. Caries prevention strategy should be that every child should receive oral care before age of one so that needful children can be instituted with preventive measures and their parents can be targeted for educational programs.

Background: Injection of local anesthesia is one of the most important reasons for avoidance behavior in children. Applying a topical anesthetic before injection is the most popular way to control pain; however, topical anesthetics have some shortcomings such as longer duration of action, displeasing taste, and spread of the anesthetic agent to noninjection site areas. Cryoanesthesia using refrigerant as a topical anesthesia is being studied as an alternative to overcome the shortcomings of topical anesthetics and has shown promising results. Materials and Methods: In this split-mouth design study, 50 children of aged 8–10 years who required bilateral mandibular local anesthesia administration were selected. In the first visit, application of topical anesthetic spray (lidocaine) on one side and during the second appointment cryoanesthetic tetrafluorethane on the other side was used before local anesthetic administration. Patients were asked to report their discomfort and pain using visual analog scale (VAS) (subjective method). Patients' pain perception during injection is assessed by sound, eye, and motor (SEM) scale by the dentist (objective method). Results: The results were statistically analyzed using paired Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Mann–Whitney tests. In VAS scale (subjective method), pain scores were significantly lower in tetrafluorethane group when compared with lidocaine group. In SEM scale (objective method), pain scores were lower in tetrafluorethane group when compared with lidocaine group, but it was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: Precooling the injection site using refrigerant tetrafluorethane spray has shown to be effective in eliminating pain before local anesthesia administration in children when compared with topical anesthetic lidocaine spray.

Endodontic treatment of the pulpless tooth with an immature root apex poses a special challenge for the clinician due to lack of an apical stop against which to compact an interim dressing of calcium hydroxide, or the final obturation material. A one-visit apexification protocol with MTA (Mineral Trioxide Aggregate) has be seen as an alternative to the traditional treatment practices with calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2]. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of MTA as a 5mm apical barrier by comparing sealing ability of ProRoot MTA to that of MTA-Angelus. 50 freshly extracted Maxillary and Mandibular single canal sound human incisor teeth were used in this study, which were decoronated to standardized 10mm root lengths. The root segments were prepared to simulate the clinical situation of an open apex with Gates Glidden burs # 5-1 and randomly assigned into 2 experimental groups of 20 samples each (Group A: ProRoot MTA, Group B: MTA-Angelus) and 10 root segments were used as control (Group C) where no apical barrier was used. After obturation the coronal portion of all samples were sealed with Glass Ionomer and stored at 37°C and 100% humidity for 4 weeks. The root segments were then double coated with nail varnish except for the apical 1mm and apical ends of all root segments were suspended vertically in methylene blue dye for 48 hours at room temperature. After removal from the dye, the samples were sectioned longitudinally and linear dye penetration was measured using a Grid and stereomicroscope. The measurements were tabulated and statistically analyzed. The mean percentage of dye leakage for Group A was 55.5% and for Group B was 53.25%. The results showed no statistically significant difference in the sealing ability of ProRoot MTA and MTA-Angelus when used as apical barriers.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of normal findings and oral anomalies in newborn children in and around Mangalore, India, within the first week of birth. Subjects and Methods: A gloved index finger, a head torch and an extra-orally placed ruler were used to perform visual examinations in 1,038 newborn babies, who were selected by convenience sampling. The babies were examined by one of the investigators (D.G.). Normal findings like the location of upper labial midline frenum, symmetry of alveolar ridges, anteroposterior/buccolingual and vertical relationship of the alveolar ridges, and oral anomalies like white inclusion cysts that are gingival cyst of infants, Epstein’s pearls and Bohn’s nodules were recorded in a standard format. The findings were statistically analysed. Results: Open bite was present in 102 (9.8%) children. In the anteroposterior relationship, 1,035 (99.7%) had the mandible distal to maxilla. In the buccolingual relationship, the mandible was lingual to the maxilla in 1,035 neonates (99.7%). Gingival cyst of infants was present in 143 (13.8%) of the neonates, Epstein’s pearls in 365 (35.2%) and Bohn’s nodules in 492 (47.4%). Conclusion: The present study exhibits the prevalence of normal findings and anomalies in the neonates. Longitudinal studies are required to assess any significance of the anteroposterior, buccolingual and vertical relationships of the gum pads in the neonates to the future development of occlusion.

Aims: The aim of this study was to compare the ex-vivo effects of different root canal sealers on the fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth. Materials and Methods: Seventy-five freshly extracted human mandibular premolars were used for the study. The length was standardized to 14 mm and all the teeth were biomechanically prepared and divided into five different groups based on the type of root canal sealers used. Group I:- Roeko seal + gutta percha, Group II: AH plus ® root canal sealer + gutta percha, Group III: PULPDENT root canal sealer + gutta percha, Group IV: Zinc oxide-eugenol sealer + gutta percha, Group V: Control (unobturated teeth). The teeth were embedded in acrylic resin blocks and compressive strengths were measured using universal testing machine (Instron). Statistical Analysis Used: One-way ANOVA, unpaired t- test Results: Data obtained were statistically evaluated using one-way ANOVA and unpaired t-test. All groups showed a statistically significant result (P < 0.05). Teeth obturated with Group I and Group II showed higher resistance to fracture than teeth obturated with other three Groups. It was seen that the teeth obturated with group III showed a better fracture resistance than Group IV and there was no statistical significance found between Group and Group V. Conclusions: From this study, it has been concluded that both the resin based sealers that were used in this study were equally effective compared to that of the zinc oxide-based sealers and the control group. However, no significant results were obtained when the comparison was made between zinc oxide-eugenol and gutta-percha and the control group.

The aim of this in vitro investigation was to evaluate and compare the incipient enamel lesions remineralized by topical application of casein phospho peptide amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) cream with and without fluoride.Sixty caries free teeth were used in the study. They were divided into four groups as positive control negative control and two experimental groups. The samples were demineralized and then remineralized using a CPP-ACP Cream with and without fluoride. The remineralization was evaluated at 7, 14 and 21 days using laser fluorescence. Results of this study showed that the laser fluorescence readings of test samples for remineralization were very highly significant at 14 and 21 days (p0.001).The degree of remineralization achieved between CPP-ACP and CPP-ACP with fluoride was statistically significant (p = 0.040) at 21 days.

Incontinentia pigmenti or Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome, is a rare X linked dominant disorder with characteristic skin, hair, eye, dental and neurological abnormalities commonly affecting females. This article reports the clinical features and management of a 11 year old girl diagnosed with Incontinentia pigmenti.