Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and characteristics of mesiodens among a group of orthodontic patients in Turkey.Methods:A retrospective study was performed using panoramic radiographs of 3,351 patients ranging in age from 8 to 16 subjected to dental treatment in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and Department of Orthodontics (Erzurum, Turkey) between 1996 and 2008. All medical and demographic data (age and sex) were obtained from the files. Descriptive characteristics of mesiodentes, including number, shape, position, complication caused by mesiodens and treatment were recorded. The Chi-squared test was used.Results:Results show that the frequency of mesiodens was 0.3% with the ratio of boys (6 cases) to girls (4 cases) being 1.5:1 and this was not statistically significant (P>.05). Of the 10 children, 8 (80.0%) had 1 mesiodens and 2 (20.0%) had 2 mesiodentes bilaterally to midline. Of the 12 mesiodentes, 8 (66.7%) were fully impacted, 7 (58.3%) in a vertical position and 9 (75.0%) conical shape. The most common complication caused by mesiodens was delayed eruption of the permanent incisors in 4 cases (40.0%).Conclusions:The frequency of mesiodens in Turkish orthodontic patients was found to be 0.3% and more frequently in males with the ratio being approximately 1.5:1. Most of the mesiodentes were in conical shape (75.0%). Sixty-seven percent of the cases were fully impacted.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of maxillary lateral incisor (MLI) agenesis and associated dental anomalies as well as skeletal patterns in an orthodontic population, and then to compare it with the prevalence of these anomalies in the general population. Study Design: The material of the present study included the records of the 3872 orthodontic patients. The followings were recorded for each subject with the agenesis of MLI: Age, sex, unilateral or bilateral absence, anterior-posterior skeletal relationship of the maxilla and mandible, and presence of associated dental anomalies. The occurrence of these anomalies was compared with data previously reported for the general populations. Results: Of the 3872 patients examined, 94 were found to have agenesis of the MLI, representing a prevalence of 2.4 per cent, with females being more frequently observed. The most commonly found associated anomalies were ectopic eruption of maxillary canines and reduced or peg- shaped contralateral incisor with the frequencies of 21.3 per cent and 20.2 per cent respectively. Conclusions: Patients with agenesis of MLI showed a significantly higher prevalence of skeletal Class III malocclusion compared with the general population. The prevalence of ectopic eruption, transposition, and transmigration of the maxillary canine and reduced or peg- shaped MLIs were significantly increased. Key words:Hypodontia, missing laterals, associated dental anomalies.

Background/purpose: The purpose of the present study was to assess changes in the oral health status in a group of young Turkish dental patients undergoing orthodontic therapy. Materials and methods: Data were obtained from clinical and radiographic examinations of 659 patients (with a mean age of 14.2 AE 1.59 years, including 39% males and 61% females), who were being treated with a fixed appliance in both arches at the Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey. Changes in the decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth (DMFT) counts and plaque index (PI) were evaluated. Statistical analysis was carried out using Wilcoxon and ManneWhitney U tests. Results: Total DMFT counts at the time of debonding were higher than at prebonding (P < 0.05) with no gender difference. The PI showed minimum values at the beginning of orthodontic therapy and maximum values at the end of therapy. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that DMFT counts and the PI increased in a group of young dental patients undergoing orthodontic therapy, and thus patients undergoing orthodontic therapy must follow very rigid oral hygiene protocols.

Knowledge of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis should be helpful in determining the normal position of the fibula in the incisural notch. The purpose of this study was to determine the anatomic characteristics of the fibular incisura of the tibia on MR imaging. One hundred fifty lower limbs (43 male, 32 female volunteers) were examined with MRI. The length of the anterior facet was 10.4 mm in males and 8.9 mm in females, and the length of the posterior facet was 10.4 mm in males and 8.9 mm in females. The angle between anterior and posterior facets was 138.6 degrees in males and 139.9 degrees in females. The depth of the fibular incisura of the tibia was 3.6 mm in males and 2.9 mm in females. The vertical distance of tibiofibular overlapping was 7.9 mm in males and 7.0 mm in females. The distance between anterior margin of the tibia and anterior margin of the fibula was 14.3 mm in males and 12.5 mm in females. All of these parameters of men (except the angle between anterior and posterior facets) were significantly higher than the parameters of women (p<.001, p<.001, p<.05, p<.05, p<.01, respectively).

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