Background : Mandibular cortical indices, like the mandibular cortical index (MCI), panoramic mandibular index (PMI), mental index (MI), antegonial index (AI) and gonial index (GI) have been developed to assess and quantify the quality of mandibular bone mass. Aim and Objectives : The aim of this pilot study was to measure the radiomorphometric indices in a digital panoramic radiograph and find the inter-relationship of the indices with age and sex of the patients. Materials and Method : A total of 23 randomly selected patients were included in the study. Panoramic radiograph of each patient was taken and radiomorphometric indices were determined. Results : There was 69.57% agreement between MI and PMI which was significant. Similarly 78.26% agreement was seen between AI and MI which was significant. In contrast 30.43%, 52.17% and 56.52% agreement was observed while comparing GI with PMI, MI and AI respectively. Conclusion : MCI, PMI, AI and MI can be effectively measured on a panoramic radiograph, hence could be used as a screening tool for determining osteoporosis. All indices have a negative correlation with age and a significant difference between the younger and older age groups. All indices were significantly lower in females when compared to males of the same age group.

The objective of this article is to evaluate salivary flow rate, pH and buffering capacity of saliva in pregnant and non pregnant women. The present study was a comparison between 30 pregnant women in their third trimester and 30 non pregnant women, in the age group of 19-34 years. The salivary flow, pH, and buffering capacity was measured using Saliva-check BUFFER kit (GC Corporation). Both unstimulated and paraffin stimulated saliva was measured for 5 min by asking the subjects to spit passively into a measuring jar provided in the kit. The pH and buffering capacity of unstimulated saliva was measured using a pH and buffering strips provided in the kit. Unpaired Student t test showed a statically significant increase in the salivary flow and a decrease in the pH and buffering capacity in the pregnant group when compare to the non pregnant group. The increase in the salivary flow rate in pregnant women could be attributed to the increase in the estrogen and progesterone concentration during pregnancy. The decrease in the pH and buffer capacity is due to the decrease in the plasma HCO3ion concentration and an increase in α amylase concentration during pregnancy.

Background:Morphological variations of the orbital aperture measurements may be used in forensic medicine as a parameter for determining sexual and ethnic identity of an individual.Aim and Objective:The aim and objective of this study was to evaluate the orbital aperture dimensions in Indian individuals and verify their relationship with gender.Materials and Methods:A retrospective study was conducted using digital posteroanterior view radiographs of 50 males and 51 females, which were taken using NEWTOM GIANO-CEFLA SC machine (81 kVp, 10 mA, and 6.6 s). The orbital aperture measurements were carried out using NEWTOM software NNT version 5.5. The maximum width and height of the orbits and the inter-orbital distance were measured. The obtained data were subjected to t-test and discriminant function analysis.Results:In the t-test, significant differences in orbital width and inter-orbital distance were obtained between the genders. On subjecting the data to discriminant function analysis, result was obtained with 86.1% accuracy rate in gender determination.Conclusion:If the discriminant score is >1.0365, the skull is likely to be of a male, and if it is <1.0365, it is likely to be of a female. Therefore, orbital aperture measurements can be used for gender determination in human identification.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess and compare quantitatively and qualitatively the artifacts induced by various commonly used dental restorative materials in different sections of CBCT image and to characterize the pattern of artifact. Material and Methods: Thirty dental plaster blocks, each with one of each of mandibular second premolar, first molar and second molar teeth with crowns aligned as in the natural dentition were scanned by CBCT device and analyzed using CS 3D imaging software, before and after the first molar was prepared and restored with dental amalgam, composite resin or glass ionomer cement (GIC), 10 plaster blocks being randomly selected for each restorative material. The reformatted axial, coronal and sagittal scans were then quantitatively assessed for artifact by two calibrated dento- maxillofacial radiologists by comparing the control and restored scans of each plaster block in a blinded manner and documented the slice numbers from which the image became diagnostic. Then, the slice numbers were converted into millimeters away from the restoration. Results: Paired t test, ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests were used for statistical analyses. The level of significance was set at α = 5%. Depending on the extent, the majority of artifacts produced were as follows: Dental amalgam >Composite resin >GIC. The artifact was most extensive in the coronal section. Streaks and scatter artifacts, linear artifacts extending outward from tooth surface and hypodense halo were predominant. Conclusion: Different dental restorative materials cause various amounts of artifacts in different planes of projection of CBCT image due to differences in density and atomic number.

Background: The intestine plays an important role in the digestion and absorption of ingested food and the elimination of undigested food, microbes, and microbial products. The functional reliability of the intestinal mucosal epithelial cells depends on the organised regulation of the epithelial cells, mucus layer, the intercellular tight junction, host innate and acquired immune response. The mucus layer of the gastrointestinal tract is the first line of innate host defense, essentially because of the secretory products of intestinal cells. Aim: Present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of arecoline on the gastrointestinal system due to systemic absorption of the drug during the induction period of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) in Wistar rats. Methods: Oral submucous fibrosis was induced by submucosal injection of arecoline in the buccal mucosa. Arecoline hydrochloride at a dosage of 10 mg/kg was injected into the submucosa of right buccal mucosa in experimental animals over a period of 3 months on every alternate day. After which, right buccal mucosa, gastrointestinal tract organs like stomach, large intestine, small intestine and liver were dissected, subjected to histopathological evaluation of the healthy and experimental Wistar rats were subjected to histopathological evaluation. Results: On histological evaluation, OSMF was seen to affect Wistar rats showed significant changes in oral mucosa, decrease number of goblet cells in the small intestine as well in the large intestine and deranged hepatocytes. These marked changes indicated a definite effect on the gastro intestinal system by arecoline. Conclusion: The study has highlighted the effect of arecoline due to systemic absorption during the induction process of OSMF in Wistar rats.