One hundred and twenty-six Nigerian cases of epithelial jaw cysts were retrieved from case notes and biopsy records of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Biology of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. The cases were analysed for age, sex, site and methods of management. Results show that developmental odontogenic cysts (57.14%) were more common than inflammatory odontogenic cysts (26.94%). Dentigerous cyst (22.22%) was the most common epithelial jaw cyst, followed by radicular cyst (21.43%). Developmental non-odontogenic cysts were more than twice as common in females as in males. Sixty-eight per cent of epithelial jaw cysts were treated by enucleation, 10% by marsupialisation, 13% by jaw resection and 9% by surgical excision.
Prevalence of fractured anterior teeth among 205 mentally handicapped school children in Ibadan, Nigeria is presented. A high prevalence of 20% was found and a higher proportion of females wes found to have fractured anterior teeth than males. The 13-15 years age group had the highest percentage prevalence. Tooth fractures occurred more in the upper jaw. Seizure disorders was found to be a statistically significant predisposing factor among this group of children. Management of these children depends on prevention as there are factors which may prevent the provision of good restorative care for this group of children.
This community based study evaluates the eruption pattern of the Saudi children (0-24 months), living in the North West region of the country. No child under the age of 6 months in this study had any teeth. The number of teeth acquired correlated strongly with age (r = +0.82, t = 18.7, p < 0.001), and moderately with weight (r = +0.63, t = 9.09, p < 0.001). Age and weight having independent effects on the timing of eruption of deciduous teeth. Before teething began, a threshold weight had to be acquired and female teeth emerged with comparatively lower weights than that of males of the same age. Even though age was highly correlated with the number of teeth erupted, the wide range of normal prevents delay in teething from being a useful index of inadequate growth in this community.
A broader overview of the essential differences and overlap in the histopathology and clinical presentation of giant cell containing lesions are discussed. This is an attempt to eliminate some confusions attendant to their diagnosis and possible prognosis. These lesions occur both intraosseously and extraosseously. Langhans' type giant cells have been shown not to be an exclusive preserve of tuberculoid granulomas but also of giant cell lesions. The osteoclast like lesions with the exception of giant cell tumour (GCT) are treated by local curettage while the latter is treated by radical resection.
One thousand and sixteen 12-year-old Nigerian primary school children were examined for upper lip posture at different overjet values. Upper lip positions were assessed using the Jackson's criteria. The most common lip position was Jackson class 3 with 72 per cent. Positions 0 and 1 were not common features. Normal overjet value of 2-4 mm was found in 82 per cent of the sample population. The findings from this investigation also showed very little significant relationship between variation of overjet at different upper lip positions.
Effect of a staple Nigerian diet comprising of cassava flour, vegetable soup and fish, and containing 10% protein on bone and skin organic matrix of the offspring of rats fed the diet during pregnancy and lactation was studied. Two types of the diet were formulated. One contained 10% protein for the poor and the other 21% protein for the rich Nigerians. The two types of diet were dried at 70 degrees C for 24 hrs and ground into powder so that the rat could consume it. Laboratory rat chow was used as the control diet and it contained 21% protein. Each diet was fed to different groups of rats with water ad libitum during gestation and lactation. Chemical composition of the bone and skin matrix of the sucklings of the rats at 10 and 21 days of age were determined. The weights of the femur, humerus and skin as well as nitrogen, hexosamine and uronic acid concentrations in the bone and skin, and calcium concentration in the bone of sucklings whose dams were fed the diet containing 10% protein were lower than those of sucklings of dams fed diet containing 21% protein. Proline:Nitrogen and Hydroxyproline:Nitrogen concentration ratios in the bone and skin, and Calcium:Nitrogen concentration ratio in the bone were not affected by the level of dietary protein given to the dams. The quantity and not the composition of organic matrix constituents, collagen and chondroitin sulphate were reduced by maternal protein deficiency. Improper formation of bone matrix caused reduced calcification. It is concluded that the 10% dietary protein eaten by poor Nigerians is inadequate to support normal bone and skin weight and matrix composition of sucklings from dams consuming the diet.
The development of processing flaws within Flexoceram inlay porcelain prior to fracture strength testing was assessed qualitatively. The firing procedure recommended by the manufacturer was used except for the end-firing temperature which was varied. Sintering for 10 minutes produced less porous samples which were better than the manufacturer's recommended time of 9 minutes.
Two cases of TMJ pain dysfunction syndrome were diagnosed and treated between 1990 and 1992. The two cases occurred in females in the 4th decade of life. In the two cases, there was evidence of psychogenic origin but no evidence of organic origin. These cases are being presented because of the common psychogenic origin as aetiological factor in both cases and the quick response to treatment as soon as cause of the disorder was discovered.
A case of unilateral ectopic eruption of maxillary first permanent molar with congenital absence of second premolar on the affected side is presented. The treatment of choice in this case, was extraction of the second deciduous molar to permit full eruption of the affected molar. A review of the prevalence, clinical and the radiographic presentation as well as different treatment modalities for this condition is provided.
We conducted a practice-based research project on health education (discharge counselling) in Gallatin, TN involving 280 patients for more than two and one-half years. Half of the patients were randomly assigned to a "discharge counsellor" after receiving treatment from the dentist. A non-dentist office staff provided the discharge counselling. Patient compliance with treatment modalities and after-treatment dental instruction was the key element of this study. This study confirms that health education (discharge counselling) was effective in reducing the number of patients in this project who would revisit the dentists for (1) emergency treatment, (2) the same complaint as their initial complaint, (3) pain management, and (4) prescription refills. In this study, gender difference was not revealed as a factor, but racial difference might be a factor.
2 cases were reported in which trigeminal somatosensory evoked potential (TSEPs) confirmed the presence of unilateral lesions of branches of the trigeminal nerve, and were used to predict the prognosis. The TSEPs allowed an accurate prediction of the prognosis. The first patient regained sensation on the numb side of the tongue as predicted from the TSEPs, whilst the TSEPs also predicted a poorer prognosis for the second patient, who might not regain sensation on the numb side of the tongue unless a successful nerve grafting was done. TSEPs could indeed be very useful in the management of lesions involving the trigeminal nerve, and especially in the follow-up investigations.
The strong association between Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and certain tumours of the oro-maxillo-laryngeal region aroused our present interest. A pre-requisite for the molecular interplay of oncogenesis by EBV is the expression of the EBV receptor on the target cell of the host. As a possible contribution to this concept, we adopted immunohistochemical technique to examine a hyperplastic gingival tissue obtained from a subject on kidney allotransplant immunosuppressed with cyclosporin A (CSA). Our results demonstrate expression of EBV/C3d receptor on the superficial layers of the hyperplastic gingiva but absent in the basal/parabasal layers. It is suggested that the superficial layer expression of EBV/C3d receptor could be due to direct acquisition from the environment of the oral cavity rather than a systemic extension from the deep layers of the same epithelium.
HIV-1 can be recovered sporadically from whole saliva and individual salivary gland secretions, but the concentration of virus, when present, is low. Saliva possesses antiviral activity, and although virus may be found in the mouth, the mouth is not a transmission route of HIV-1. After HIV-1 infection, salivary gland function is altered. Flow rates may decrease, and certain electrolytes and anti-microbial proteins are elevated. A proportion of patients develop severe salivary gland disease. Most patients, however, maintain adequate salivary gland function and retain ability to produce antimicrobial proteins in saliva.
Although various methods have been used to evaluate orthodontic treatment outcome, the PAR index (Peer Assessment Rating) was recently developed for the purpose of assessing treatment standards. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the treatment standard of 52 consecutively treated cases during orthodontic postgraduate training (1991-1993). The pre- and post-treatment study models were collected and analysed using the PAR index. The mean age at start of treatment and the mean treatment duration was 13.6 (+/- 3.6) years and 15.9 (+/- 4.5) months respectively. Dual-arch fixed appliance was the predominant form of treatment employed. A high treatment standard was achieved as indicated by the mean PAR score reduction of 82.6 per cent. Most of the cases (92.3%) showed varying degree of improvement. Of the 4 (7.7%) cases classified as "worse or no difference", three were treated with removable appliances. With the exception of buccal occlusions, treatment showed strong improvement on individual PAR components. The shortcomings of the method of assessment are also discussed.
Aqueous extracts from 8 plants used for tooth-cleaning in Nigeria were tested for their ability to inhibit the growth of five periodontopathic bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Eikenella corrodens and Campylobacter rectus. Extracts of all the plants except that of Massularia acuminata exhibited varying growth inhibitory potentials on the microorganisms. Extract of Terminalia glaucescens showed the widest spectrum of activity, inhibiting the growth of all the tested bacteria except P. gingivalis. These findings corroborate other studies that the plants possess antiplaque properties and suggest that they may be useful tools in preventive dentistry in poor developing countries. However, the bioavailability of the active ingredients of the plants and their long term effects in vivo need to be investigated.
The aim of the study was to investigate the oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of 12-year-old primary school children living in suburban and rural Nigeria. A total of 574 children mostly from low socioeconomic status were studied through questionnaires. Relatively high level of oral health knowledge and positive attitudes to prevention were found. Majority of suburban children (72.5%) cleaned their teeth with toothbrush and toothpaste while most of the rural dwellers (49.8%) used chewing sticks. Overall, 83.5 per cent of all the children had never visited the dentist despite the fact that most of them believed it was necessary to visit the dentist for check-up. It was concluded that oral health education programme should be targeted to the need of the communities.
Two hundred and seventy-five Nigerian subjects were seen to assess their periodontal disease awareness and to correlate it with their periodontal status, using a screening index--Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (C.P.I.T.N.). More than half of the subjects had visited the dental clinics in the past. The major reason for their visits was for relief of toothache and/or extraction. Although a high percentage claimed not to have gum disease, various stages of periodontal disease were observed in this group of subjects. The author advocates: (1) The introduction and use of periodontal index e.g. C.P.I.T.N. for easier examination of patients. (2) Refresher courses for dental personnel in periodontics, and (3) Use of the mass media such as electronic media to promote periodontal health awareness.
A panoramic radiographic study was carried out on 404 dentate Saudi Arabians, to locate positions of the mental foramen. Results show that 83.7% of the mental foramen locations occurred in the interdental space between the mandibular premolars and apical to the mandibular second premolar. 9.35% occurred posterior to the mandibular second premolar, and 6.95% occurred apical/anterior to the mandibular first premolar. In female Saudis, the most common location of the mental foramen was apical to the mandibular second premolar (45.9%), while the most common location in male Saudis was the interdental space between the mandibular premolars (45.5%). Asymmetry of the mental foramen location, which was observed in 15.6% of the cases, was observed more often in males (17.9%) than in females (12.3%).
Experiments were carried out to determine the best partition reagents for extracting the active biological agents in Sorindeia warneckei--chewing stick. Results show the Soxhlet extraction method to be the most effective.
A study was carried out to assess the oral hygiene practices and dental knowledge by means of a questionnaire, in a group of 239 adults in Mozambique. Despite the relatively low educational status of the sample, the level of dental knowledge appeared satisfactory. However, there still exists a need for increasing the awareness of good oral hygiene in this population.
