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The incidence of invasive infections caused by fungi has been increasing for the last few decades. This is primarily due to the significant increases in the populations of at-risk patients; this includes those receiving immunosuppressive chemotherapy for various malignancies, solid organ transplant recipients and those receiving prolonged steroid treatment. New diagnostic approaches have been developed based on non-culture-based methods, which may allow early diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections. Laboratory procedures in diagnostic mycology are directed mainly toward the direct demonstration of the pathogenic fungi in clinical specimens by microscopy along with successful isolation of pathogenic fungi by using various culture techniques. They also help in the prediction of possible therapeutic outcome by determining antifungal susceptibility and can also be used in epidemiological studies by tracing the source of infection. The purpose of our review is to provide the reader with comprehensive and up-to-date information on diagnostic methods.

We report a case of unicystic ameloblastoma with mucous cell differentiation in the anterior maxilla who suffered from painful swelling for 2 months. A radiograph showed a irregular radiolucent lesion between the roots of 21, 22 and 23. Microscopic examination revealed the cystic lesion was lined with ameloblastic epithelium and goblet cells in the epithelium. The mucous cells reacted positively to PAS stain. The possible pathogenic mechanism of this case reflects the pluripotential character of the odontogenic epithelium. The prognosis is probably that expected for conventional unicystic ameloblastoma. Significance of identifying such case of mucous metaplasia in unicystic ameloblastoma is that it should be differentiated from mucous cell containing lesions like glandular odontogenic cyst and mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

Hypersensitive tooth is an old age complaint. It can be defined as pain arising from exposed dentin typically in response to chemical, thermal or osmotic stimuli that cannot be explained as arising from any other form of dental defect or pathology. This enigma of hypersensitivity commonly affects buccal cervical areas of premolars & canines. It affects the population at an age range of 20-40 yrs with peak at end of third decade. Sensitivity occurs when dentinal tubules are exposed. Four theories have been proposed to explain this mechanism, which are transducer, modulation, gate control and hydrodynamic. Hydrodynamic theory is widely accepted. Old remedies and materials used for management of hypersensitivity includes lung ash from mice, dried livers from lizards, salt lavage, potassium nitrate, alum, anodynes such as cocaine hydrochloride, menthol, phenol, eugenol, morphine or codeine sulfate. Caustics such as zinc chloride, absolute alcohol, trichloroacetic acid, silver nitrate and others such as carbolic acid, calcium compounds such as calcium hydroxide, dicalcium phosphate, oxalates. Stannous or sodium fluoride, fluoride iontophoresis or leukomscy's paste, glass ionomers, resins, cyanoacrylates and corticosteroids. Recent methods include dentin treatment by lasers, CCP- ACP, Pro-Argin technology.