Correlating the clinical assessment of impacted mandibular third molars with panoramic radiograph and intraoral periapical radiograph

Delaying Intraoral Radiographs during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Conundrum

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has made dentists very assiduous about cross-infection during dental treatment, thereby delaying dental radiographs for treatment. However, patients needing dental emergency treatment in the ongoing pandemic require relevant intra/extraoral dental radiography for adequate diagnosis and treatment planning.

METHODS

This article is aimed at adding to the hot debate: Is delay for intraoral radiographs justified or a possible proxy? As a narrative review, it provides an insight into the reasons for delaying intra-oral dental radiographs during in the pandemic and options of the nontraditional radiographic techniques available until the pandemic subsides. Discussion and Conclusion. Cross-contamination concerns through respiratory droplets grow while using intraoral film holders that stimulate gag reflex, coughing, saliva secretion, and if proper disinfection protocols are not applied. Since the patients' acquiring emergency dental treatment cannot be neglected, the return-to-work guidelines by the health regulatory bodies urge to prioritize extraoral radiographic imaging techniques to curb the infection, offering the best diagnostic efficacy. The dental professionals can consider cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans and sectional dental panoramic radiographs (SDPRs), followed by a risk assessment for COVID-19, a safer modality in reducing cross-contamination and assuring an innocuous environment for both patient and coworkers.

Prevalence of impacted teeth among a sample of Yemeni population and their association with sex and age

Aim: the aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of impacted teeth and its association with sex and age among a sample of the Yemeni population. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study design was employed. The study included 999 radiographical records of patients who had panoramic X- rays previously done. All radiographs were assessed for the number and type of impacted teeth, pathology-associated impaction, sex, age and location (mandible and/or maxilla). The collected data was analyzed using SPSS®version21 software. Results: The study sample comprised digital panoramic radiographs of Yemeni patients aged 17 to 54 years (mean 26.6 years). The present study found 542 patients (54.3%) presented with at least one impacted tooth. The 17 to 25 years age group of the study sample had the highest prevalence of tooth impaction (28.6%). Only 10 (1.0%) case presented pathologies associated with the impacted teeth. There was a significant difference in the number of male 203 (20.3%) and female 339 (33.9%) patients with impacted teeth (p=0.031). Impacted teeth occurred slightly more often in the mandible (42.8%) compared to the maxilla (42.4%). Conclusion: The prevalence of impacted teeth among a sample of Yemeni population was high. Third molars and canines were the most common impacted teeth. The prevalence of impacted teeth in females was higher than in males and it was higher in the mandible than in the maxilla, with the younger patients with a higher prevalence of impaction.