Evaluation of dental panoramic radiographic findings in edentulous jaws: A retrospective study of 743 patients "Radiographic features in edentulous jaws"

Prevalence of Total Edentulism and Panoramic Radiographic Findings of Totally Edentulous Patients in a Dental School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Background The prevalence of total edentulism differs significantly between countries and between cities/regions within the same country. It can be affected by various factors, such as age, sex, and socioeconomic factors along with lifestyle and health behavior. Positive findings on panoramic radiographs are frequently observed in totally edentulous patients (TEP) during routine screening. Objectives This study aimed to retrospectively determine the prevalence of total edentulism and to evaluate the distribution and location of positive findings on panoramic radiographs of TEP at a dental school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods A total of 12,428 digital panoramic radiographs of patients aged ≥35 years seeking treatment at a dental school from January 2018 to December 2021 were evaluated to determine the prevalence of total edentulism. Retained root stumps, impacted teeth, radiolucent, and radiopaque lesions were detected on the panoramic radiographs of the TEP. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Among the 12,428 patients, 521 (4.2%) showed total edentulism on their panoramic radiographs. The prevalence of edentulism was the highest among patients aged >65 years (n=305, 4.5%), men (n=246, 4.2%), and non-Saudi citizens (n=300, 4.4%). A total of 198 radiographic findings were identified in 150 patients. The frequency rates of retained root stumps and impacted teeth were 19.2% (n=100) and 4.6% (n=24), respectively. Radiolucent and radiopaque lesions each accounted for 2.5% (n=13) of the lesions. Conclusions The prevalence of edentulism was higher in patients aged >65 years, male patients, and non-Saudi citizens. Retained root stumps were most often encountered among the four positive findings on panoramic radiographs. Considering the high frequency of positive radiographic findings in TEP, panoramic radiographs must be routinely obtained for TEP, but caution must be exercised to reduce the effects of radiation.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study on the Incidence of Endodontic Filling Biomaterials Resorption in Patients With/Without Orthodontic Treatment

Background: The differential diagnosis of endodontic and periodontal diseases can sometimes be clinically difficult, but it is vital to establish a correct diagnosis so that predictable treatment can be offered. Aim: The aim of this study was to highlight the prevalence of endo-periodontal lesions in the frontal dental group of the lower jaw depending on the degree of bone resorption as well as endodontic filling resorption in different patients, some of them with orthodontic treatment, using conical beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and methods: A number of 31 CBCT imaging volumes and the medical records of these patients were selected for analysis by an experienced examiner. The sites selected for analysis were divided into two subgroups, one where the endodontic treatment was performed with Endomethasone™ (Colthene, Creteil, France) (7 patients), and the other where it was performed with Adseal™ (Meta Biomed, Seoul, South Korea) (6 patients). Results: The mean age of the study population was 24.1 years, and 35.8% presented previous orthodontic treatment in their medical history. There were no statistically significant differences (p = 0.54) between groups regarding the length of the endodontic filling, the Endomethasone group showing a total length of 11.24 millimeters while the Adseal group showed a total length of 10.85 millimeters. Conclusions: The image obtained in clinical situations in which patients present combined endodontic-periodontal lesions is of real help because in many cases, with the help of CBCT, the starting point of a combined lesion can be highlighted, whether it is endodontic or periodontal.

Environmental temperature and air humidity and prevalence of maxillary sinus retention cysts: possible relationships (preliminary study)

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of maxillary sinus retention cysts (MSRCs) and to evaluate the effects of mean temperature and mean air humidity on the prevalence of MSRCs in two cities in Turkey.

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted in Antalya and Erzurum, two cities with different air humidities and temperatures in Turkey. Panoramic images of patients who visited the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Akdeniz University and Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Ataturk University for diagnostic purposes were evaluated. A total of 4800 panoramic images were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 27.03 ± 6.48 years. The prevalence of MSRCs was analyzed according to sex, mean temperature, and mean air humidity. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Among the 4800 panoramic images evaluated, 228 indicated the presence of MSRCs. MSRCs were found significantly more frequently in males than in females. The prevalence was 3% in Antalya and 6.5% in Erzurum, with a total prevalence of 4.8%. While there was a significant correlation between the total amount of cysts and monthly mean air humidity in Erzurum, the correlation effect size was very low.

CONCLUSIONS

The total prevalence of MSRCs was 4.8%. There were no correlations between the frequency of MSRCs and the mean air humidity or mean temperature.