Morphometric analysis of panoramic mandibular index, mental index, and antegonial index

Mandibular Radiomorphometric Characteristics of Individuals with Bilateral or Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate and compare the mandibular radiomorphometric characteristics of patients with unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate (CLP) with those of individuals without CLP and to determine whether there was a difference.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Orthodontic Department in Faculty of Dentistry.

PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS

Mandibular cortical bone thickness was measured on high-quality panoramic radiographs taken from 46 patients with unilateral or bilateral CLP aged 13-15 years and 21 control patients.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Three radiomorphometric indices [antegonial index (AI), mental index (MI), and panoramic mandibular index (PMI)] were measured bilaterally. AutoCAD software was used for MI, PMI, and AI measurements.

RESULTS

Left MI values were significantly lower in individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP; 0.029 ± 0.04) than in individuals with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP; 0.033 ± 0.07). In addition, right MI values of individuals with right UCLP (0.26 ± 0.06) were significantly lower than those of individuals with left UCLP (0.34 ± 0.06) or BCLP (0.32 ± 0.08). No difference was observed between individuals with BCLP and left UCLP. These values did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Antegonial index and PMI values did not differ between individuals with different types of CLP or when compared with control patients. In patients with UCLP, cortical bone thickness was found to be reduced on the cleft side compared to the intact side. Patients with UCLP with a right-sided cleft had a more substantial decrease in cortical bone thickness.

Prevalence of mesiobuccal-2 canals in maxillary first and second molars among the Bruneian population—CBCT analysis

Introduction

Identification of the second mesiobuccal canal (MB-2) in maxillary molars is considered an endodontic concern of many practitioners due to its complex morphology. The use of Cone-beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is a necessity for easier location of this elusive canal during endodontic treatment.

Aim

To study the prevalence of the MB-2 canal in the maxillary first and second molars amongst the Bruneian population.

Materials and methods

A retrospective study involving a review of scans taken from a CBCT scanner (J Morita; Veraviewepocs 3D R100 Panoramic/Cephalometric) over a 5-year period, from May 2016 to May 2021 was carried out. A total of 342 maxillary molars were evaluated independently by two observers. Any contradicting outcomes were discussed by both observers until a consensus was reached. In addition, the correlation of MB-2 canals with gender and age were calculated using the chi-squared test.

Results

The prevalence of MB-2 canal in the maxillary first and second molars are 51.3% and 29.8% respectively. Both males and females have a similar prevalence of MB-2 canals in the maxillary first and second molars. The incidence of MB-2 canals in both maxillary first and second molars significantly decreases with increasing age. No significant correlation between the prevalence of MB-2 canals with different gender groups in the population.

Conclusions

It is crucial for clinicians to identify the presence of MB-2 canals when performing endodontic treatment of the maxillary first and second molars. Varying prevalence has been reported for different populations. Recognising this wide-ranging prevalence amongst different populations will allow for greater predictability in ensuring endodontic treatment success.

Evaluation of mandibular bone changes in multiple myeloma patients on dental panoramic radiographs

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to assess the mandibular bone structures of multiple myeloma (MM) patients on panoramic radiographs using fractal analysis (FA) and radio-morphometric indices.

METHODS

The study group consisted of 67 MM patients, and the control group consisted of 67 individuals without any systemic disease. The mandibular cortical index (MCI) classification, antegonial index (AGI), gonial index (GI), mandibular cortical width (MCW), panoramic mandibular index (PMI) and fractal dimensions (FD) were evaluated on panoramic radiographs. FD measurements were made by identifying 4 related areas. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine the normal distribution of the data. Chi-square and independent t tests were used to compare the findings between the two groups.

RESULTS

The FD values of the study group in ROI1, ROI2, ROI3, ROI4 regions and GI values were found to be statistically significantly lower than the control group (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of AGI, MCW and PMI values (p > 0.05). While C1 was the most common type in the control group, C2 was the most common type in the study group. C2 and C3 were detected more in the study group than in the control group (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our study showed a consensus with the studies advocating that fractal analysis and radio-morphometric indices are methods that can be used to determine mandibular bone density. The low bone density of MM patients is a condition that physicians should be aware of for interventional dental procedures.