Context:In the current scenario of developing countries, dental caries has been a long-standing challenge in the oral health issue and still on the rise.Aim:The aim of the following study is to estimate the caries prevalence in the primary dentition among children below 5 years of age.Meterials and Methods:Study population included both boys and girls below 5 years old attending KGF Dental College and Hospital, Karnataka. A simple random sampling method was used. A total of 672 children were examined under headlamp illumination using mouth mirror and probe according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. A questionnaire was used to elicit information from the attendants regarding general health, intra oral examination and caries experience was recorded using WHO 1997 proforma. The data were computerized and analyzed applying the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program.Results:Prevalence of dental caries was 44.34%. Caries prevalence was higher in the boys than the girls and it was statistically significant (P < 0.05). It was also found that primary second molars were the highest carious tooth.Conclusion:The prevalence of dental caries was high among children below 5 years old. The present study was undertaken to obtain baseline data for planning preventive programs. Untreated caries indicates subsequent steps toward preventive and restorative care should be initiated. In order to reduce the caries prevalence, there is a need for continuous monitoring and health education to the children and parents, guardians.

Background: The present study was conducted for assessing Sexual Dimorphism in the Permanent Dentition by maxillary first molar. Materials & methods: 20 subjects were analysed among which 10 were males while the remaining 10 were females. All the subjects belonged to the age range of 18 to 28 years. Only those subjects were enrolled who reported for orthodontic treatment and had fully erupted maxillary and mandibular first molars. The subjects fulfilling the inclusion criteria were subjected to impression making of the maxillary arch with irreversible hydrocolloid (alginate) material and casts poured immediately in type II dental stone to minimize dimensional change. Measurement of buccolingual (BL) and mesiodistal (MD) width of the maxillary first molar (16) was done by vernier calliper both intra-orally and on study casts. Results: Statistically maxillary permanent first molars showed the nonsignificant difference; thus, they are a better predictor for gender dimorphism. Conclusion: The permanent maxillary first molars is suggestive of a better predictor of sexual dimorphism.