Background: Pituitary gland dysfunction might be predicted by examining the alteration of Sella turcica during the routine radiological examination of lateral cephalogram. Aim: The study aimed to analyze the variation in size and shape of sella turcica according to age and gender on lateral cephalogram among the people in the south zone of Chennai city. Materials and Method: A series of lateral cephalogram images from 200 patients comprising 94 males and 106 females were collected retrospectively from archives in the database. The shape and size of sella turcica were measured digitally. Statistical analysis was done using the Chi-square test and unpaired sample t-test. Results: The frequency of distribution of shapes of sella turcica among the people in Chennai city was 46% normal followed by 15.5% irregular dorsum sellae, 14.5% pyramidal shape, 11.5% bridging, 7% oblique anterior wall, 5.5% double contour. The length and depth of Sella turcica was greater in males when compared with that of the females which were statistically significant (P < 0.01). The depth and diameter were higher in the 10–20 years age group than the 20–30 year age group, which was statistically significant (P = 0.01). Conclusion: The size of Sella turcica alters between different age groups and gender. Variations in the shape of Sella turcica were present in nearly half of the individuals in the present study. Thus, the morphology of Sella turcica should be assessed as a part of routine radiographic examination.

Background: Lack of noninvasive and economically feasible laboratory investigations in the early detection of cancer is a set-back in the prognosis of oral cancer (OC) patients. Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the ratio of sialic acid to fucose in salivary samples of OC and oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 participants were selected and divided into three groups based on clinical and histopathological diagnosis: OC patients ( n = 20), OPMD patients ( n = 20), and healthy patients ( n = 20). Unstimulated whole saliva of 1.5 ml was collected from the selected individuals for evaluating the salivary levels of sialic acid and fucose using the biochemical assay. Results: The difference in mean salivary sialic acid and fucose among the study groups was statistically significant ( P = 0.001); one-way analysis of variance. The mean sialic acid to fucose ratio in the control group, OPMD group, and OC group were 0.34 mg/dl, 0.88 mg/dl, and 0.89 mg/dl, respectively. OC patients had significant elevation in the levels of salivary sialic acid, fucose, and their ratios ( P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.003, respectivel y) ; Tukey's post hoc test. Conclusions: The ratio of salivary sialic acid to fucose is a predictable tumor marker for the diagnosis of OC. Further investigations are required to evaluate the influence of OC grading on this diagnostic marker.

Dentists are at high risk for musculoskeletal disorders due to occupational health hazards. In India, even though the population is high, there is still a lack of awareness about the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among dentists in this rapidly growing occupational sector. Identifying the common sites of ailment and comparing them with the contributing factors associated with these musculoskeletal symptoms can help to develop ergonomic recommendations for the dental profession in Chennai city. This study was aimed at investigating the common sites of ailment and comparing them with the contributing factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders among dentists in the city. Using stratified sampling method, 297 dentists were selected and given questionnaire based on the type of ailment, common sites of ailment, duration of ailments, treatment modalities, and effectiveness of therapy. The dentists reported that the most common sites of ailment were shoulder (n 5 106/297) neck (n 5 78/297), and lower back (n 5 67/297). This study revealed the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints among the various age groups of dentists is common in the shoulder and neck regions. Dentists should implement right ergonomic designing in their dental clinics along with regular exercise and relaxation techniques, which help them to combat stress, thus improving the quality of life, resulting in consistent long-lasting work efficiency.

The rough and pitted surfaces seen on acrylic dentures act as niduses for biofilm formation and colonization of microorganisms. Denture cleansers are the most preferred for chemical cleansing, which has been suggested for the disinfection of prostheses. The aim of the study was to evaluate four different denture cleansers on tea stain removal from heat cure clear acrylic resins (DPI heat cure) material. Forty clean acrylic specimens of dimensions 40 mm 3 20 mm 3 1 mm were fabricated. The samples were then placed in fresh human unstimulated saliva for 2 min to form an initial pellicle layer and facilitate the uptake of stain, and they were washed with water. The samples were divided into 4 batches of 10 each. One-way ANOVA, Tukey' HSD, and Students' paired t-test were employed to identify the significant groups at 5% level. The mean value in Batch C, i.e., using Clinsodent powder (0.62 6 0.32), was significantly higher than the mean values in Batch A, i.e., using Corega Bio Tabs (0.34 6 0.14), Batch B, i.e., using fitty dent tabs (0.19 6 0.19), and Batch D, i.e., using Steradent powder (0.25 6 0.11) (p  0.05). This study revealed that all the four immersion denture cleansers were effective in removing the tea stains from heat cure acrylic resins. Among the four cleansers, Clinsodent powder removed the tea stains to the greatest extent.

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