Background and objectives: β-thalassemia major patient is one of the hereditary hemolytic diseases, which can cause many hematological and biochemical changes in the affected patient. And these changes can happen even when the patient is treated adequately. The objective was to study biochemical changes in the level of serum hepcidin, osteocalcin, calcium, ferritin, iron, PTH and IL-6 in patients with β-thalassemia major and to compare it with control subjects. Patients and method: In this research 40 patients with beta thalassemia major, 20 Female and 20 Male (age ranged from 10 to 38 years), and 40 control subjects 20 Female and 20 Male (age ranged from 9 to 33 years) were studied. Measurement of serum hepcidin, osteocalcin, calcium, ferritin, iron, PTH and IL-6 were done by the researcher for both cases and control groups. Results: Serum Ferritin and Iron were higher significantly in all thalassemic patients (P< 0.001), this increment was proportional with increasing number of units of blood transfusion and aging. Mean serum Hepcidin, PTH, Osteocalcin and IL6 were significantly lower in thalassemic patients in contrast to the control subjects (P< 0.001). Reduction in S-PTH was proportional to increasing number of blood transfusion and aging. But there was no significant difference in the level of serum Calcium in the majority of patients, only 9 patients had low serum calcium. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that in B-thalassemia major patients Serum Ferritin and Iron were increased proportionally with increasing age and number of units of blood transfusion. Mean serum PTH, osteocalcin, hepcidin, and IL-6 were reduced, but mean serum calcium was remained normal.

* Department of oral diagnosis, college of dentistry, Hawler medical university, Erbil, Iraq.

Background and objectives: measuring the distance between the lowest point of the maxillary sinus floor and maxillary alveolar bone crest seen in the digital panoramic images and the effect of alveolar bone resorption to evaluate the clinical benefit of using software measurement program to measure the height of the alveolar bone in the region of maxillary sinus. Method: Digital panoramic images were analyzed using the software computer programs that existed in the system to measure the distance from the lowest point of the maxillary sinus floor and maxillary alveolar bone crest. Images were divided into four groups (1st group dentulous cases, 2nd group single dental extraction, 3rd group multiple dental extraction, 4th group edentulous cases) and each group consist of 50 panoramic images. Results: The mean distance of sinus floor to bone crest in fourth group cases was approximately half of the distance in first group due to extraction of teeth and there was highly significant difference (P<0.001) between first group, third group and fourth group images, and there was significant difference (P<0.005)between first group and second group images. Conclusion: It was concluded that the objective assessment of alveolar bone height and its 2-dimensional relation to maxillary teeth was greatly helpful by applying the software program.

Background and Objectives: Root anatomy of lower third molar (LTM) may have variable patterns. Root number, shape and curvature all affecting the process of surgery. To determine frequency of different root patterns of LTM. Patients and methods: Retrospectively, a total of 196 orthopantomograms of department of radiology were evaluated for LTM root number and curvature of roots. Results: two roots 173 (88.26%) one root 22 (11.74%). All single rooted teeth showed no curvature. Among two rooted teeth the study figured out that majority of roots not fused but converge 134 (77.45%), fused together 20 (11.5%), not fused but diverge 11 (≈ 6%), not fused with root curvature. Conclusion: Majority of LTM have two or more roots, they are convergent or divergent. Root anatomy evaluation before surgery is mandatory.

Background and objectives: the problem of impacted teeth remain actual in all countries. Differences in ethnicity, culture and environment may play a role in its occurrence. The objective is to find the differences in prevalence of this problem between population of Erbil/Iraq and Iraqi neighboring countries. Patients and methods: primary data of Erbil population and secondary data of Iraqi neighboring countries were used. A retrospective analysis done for all orthopantomograms in college of dentistry, then compared to published data of those countries. Results: regarding the age and sex, there is no such significant differences between all included countries; considering dominant type of impaction, Kuwait was different from others by dominance of vertical impaction; Distoangular impaction in Erbil was twice of other countries. Conclusion: there is no significant differences between Erbil population and Iraqi neighboring countries regarding the prevalence and angulation of impaction.