Objective: This study determined the relationship between masseter muscle thickness and overbite values among Nigerians. Methods: The subjects included 66 consecutive patients (21 males and 45 females) who presented for fixed orthodontic appliance treatment. Overbite values were measured from standard lateral cephalometric radiographs taken for all patients,who were thereafter divided into three groups of reduced overbite (n=22, mean -1.11+ 2.18mm), normal overbite (n=22, mean 2.59+0.50mm) and increased overbite (n=22, mean 5.21+1.39mm). The masseter muscle thickness of each patient was measured bilaterally using ultrasonography. Associations between masseter muscle thickness and different overbite values were analyzed using unpaired t-test, ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison analysis. Results: Mean masseter muscle thickness was 11.23 ± 2.40 mm during relaxation and 12.81 ± 2.64 mm during contraction for study participants. The masseter muscle on the habitual side of mastication of participants was generally thicker but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). There was a progressive increase in masseter muscle thickness from reduced overbite through normal overbite to increased overbite groups and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01). Tukey's multiple comparisons showed significant differences between all the three overbite groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: There was a direct relationship between the muscle thickness and overbite variations.

AIM: The recent increase in consumption of acidic beverages is thought to be the leading cause of dental erosion observed among adolescents. The study assessed the drinking habits of Adolescent Secondary School Students and also evaluated their tooth sensitivity experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey was conducted among adolescent secondary school students. Purposely, students in boarding hostels were excluded. The sample was selected from twelve public and private secondary schools through the class teachers. RESULTS: 582 questionnaires were analyzed (294 females, 288 males). Soft drinks were the most consumed (97%) beverage, predominantly by females (94.6%). Parents especially the mother mostly consume soft drinks.  (78%) pointed out that that “soft drinks are good in between meals” and also 64% indicated that “soft drinks are good for the teeth”.  Participants that preferred drinks at normal room temperature experienced the most tooth sensitivity. Majority (42.3%) use straw but the most tooth sensitivity experience (63.3%) associated with long sipping. A statistically significant difference (X=0.252; df=1; p=0.005) in tooth sensitivity experience found between those that swish their drinks and those that did not. CONCLUSION: Soft drinks were the most consumed with a faulty believe that soft drinks are good in-between meals and for the teeth.  Tooth sensitivity experience is common with preference for drinks at room temperature and long sipping. Swishing drinks is associated with tooth sensitivity.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine perceived and normative orthodontic treatment need of senior year dental students using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) and Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Materials and Methods: Ninety-nine senior year students of the Faculty of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria, participated. Normative assessment of occlusal characteristics was car¬ried out using IOTN and DAI while the Aesthetic Component (AC) scale of IOTN was used by the students to assess perceived need. Results: With the AC scale of IOTN, 6.1% of the students expressed “borderline need” and 2% “great need” for treatment, while normative need was 41.4% for “borderline need” and 11.1% for “great need”. The Dental Health Component found 37.4% and 24.2% in these categories, respectively. The DAI gave 26.3%, 13.1% and 15.1% in the elective treatment, highly desirable treatment and mandatory treatment categories respectively. No gender-dependent differences were found. Moderate correlation was observed between perceived and normative need (r=0.643), which was significant (p<0.001). Conclusions: Over half of the dental students had orthodontic treatment need with both indices. Normative and perceived treatment need differed significantly. The perception of treatment need is not only influenced by knowledge and severity of malocclusion, as psychosocial factors acting on individuals may be involved.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the tooth dimensions of an orthodontic patient population with a normal population of Nigerians. Materials and Methods: Participants were orthodontic and control populations selected from Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospitals Complex Ile-Ife. Selected participants had full eruption of first six permanent teeth in all quadrants, intact dentition and no conservative treatment other than class 1 restorations. The mesio-distal and bucco-lingual widths of teeth were measured with an electronic digital caliper from dental casts. Independent sample t test was used for group comparisons. Statistical significance was inferred at p < 0.05.Results: Mean maxillary and mandibular mesio-distal tooth dimensions were generally larger in the orthodontic than the control population, however, only the dimensions of maxillary central incisors, left lateral incisor and mandibular left second premolar differed significantly (p < 0.05). Mean maxillary bucco-lingual tooth dimensions were significantly larger among the orthodontic than the control population. Mandibular bucco-lingual dimensions differed significantly for the right canine, left first and second premolars, and right and left first molars (p < 0.05). Tooth dimensions were generally larger in male than female participants, however only a few differences reached statistical significance (p < 0.05) Conclusions: Some differences were observed in the mesio-distal tooth dimensions of the orthodontic patients and control patients who participated in this study, especially in relation to the maxillary incisors. Buccolingual tooth dimensions differed significantly between the groups which were more pronounced with the maxillary teeth. Gender differences were observed with some tooth dimensions.