BackgroundImpacted teeth predispose to periodontal disease and dental caries of adjacent teeth resulting in pain, discomfort and loss of function. This study analyzed the pattern of occurrence of impacted teeth, associated symptoms, treatment and complications of treatment in patients who presented at the Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania.MethodThis was a crossectional descriptive study which utilized notes and x rays of patients who were treated for impacted teeth at the Oral and Maxillofacial firm in Muhimbili National Hospital over five years, from January 2005 to August 2010. These records were retrieved and examined for the major complaint of the patient at presentation to hospital, demography, impacted tooth, type of impaction (for third molars), treatment offered and complications after treatment. Similar information was collected from all patients with impacted teeth attended in the same centre from 1st September 2010 to 31st August 2011.ResultsA total of 896 patients (496 males and 400 females) treated for complaints related to impacted teeth were recorded. The male to female ratio was 1.2:1, age range of 16 to 85 years and a mean age of 28.9 years (SD = 9.5).Slightly more than 84% of the patients presented with mandibular third molar impactions. Most (44.7%) of these patients had an impacted lower right third molar followed by those presenting with a lower left third molar impaction (39.7%). In 1.3% of the patients all the four third molars were impacted. Sixty nine (7.7%) patients had impacted upper 3rd molars while 2% had impacted upper canines. Of the mandibular 3rd molar impactions 738 (76%) were mesio-angular type, 87 (8.9%) horizontal type and 69 (7.1%) disto-angular.Patients presented with a variety of complaints. About 85% of the patients presented to hospital due to varying degrees of pain. In 4.9% the detection of the impacted tooth/teeth was coincidental after presenting to hospital for other reasons not related to the impaction.Majority of the patients with impacted mandibular third molars had carious lesions on the impacted teeth, neighbouring tooth or both. Four hundred and five (45.2%) patients had a carious lesion on one of the impacted teeth while 201(22.4%) patients had a carious lesion on the adjacent second molar. In 122 (13.6%) patients both the impacted third molar and the adjacent second molar were carious. In twelve patients who presented with a main complaint of fracture of the angle of the mandible there was an associated impacted 3rd molar. Eight hundred and fifteen (91%) patients with impacted teeth were treated by surgical removal. Among these only 15 (1.8%) had complications that ranged from excessive swellings, trismus and severe pain post operatively. One patient was reported to have fracture of the angle of the mandible sustained during surgical removal of an impacted 48.ConclusionsThe majority of patients with impacted teeth were young with an almost equal sex distribution. The most commonly impacted teeth were mandibular third molars followed by the maxillary third...

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Background: Teething has been associated with varieties of childhood illnesses. Traditional uvulectomy has been an ongoing practice in some societies. Both teething and traditional uvulectomy have strong linkage to beliefs, values and practices. This study aimed at documenting the awareness and perception of society regarding traditional uvulectomy and beliefs about teething in Tanzania. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in central region of Tanzania, encompassing adult population, who were obtained by stratified two stage sampling technique. The oldest person per household was interviewed. A questionnaire consisting of questions regarding traditional uvulectomy and beliefs about teething was used to collect data. Analysis of data was done using computer program SPSS version 19 whereby the level of significance for Chi-square was set at p-value of ≤ 0.05. Results: A total of 371 participants were included and of these, 90.3% believed that long uvula may cause ill health. The notion of prolonged cough indicates unhealthy uvula was found in 86.8% of participants. With regard to teething, 60.6% considered a child born with teeth means a curse in family. Symptoms that are perceived to be caused by teething include diarrhoea (84.6%) and fever (54.4%). Other reported symptoms include drooling of saliva, crying vomiting and irritability. Conclusion: Majority of society members still link illnesses in children with either elongated uvula and/or teething. Awareness on traditional ways of treating diseased uvula may be detrimental as people's awareness tends to influence their practice. Deliberate efforts should be put forward to educate pregnant women during their visits to antenatal and natal clinics especially in the rural areas regarding oral health of children.

Background McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is a rare multisystem disorder that classically was defined by the triad of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia of bone, café-au-lait skin pigmentation, and precocious puberty. It is a condition that has a gradual onset, slow growth rate and remain painless throughout. The clinical phenotype of MAS is highly variable and no definite treatment is available. Case presentation This article describes two cases, a 10-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy, both with MAS comprising deforming craniofacial FD. Challenges related to diagnosis and management included late reporting with big lesions, involvement of multiple craniofacial bones, mutilating surgeries and ultimately high degree of morbidity. Conclusion Delayed diagnosis and management of MAS results in devastating physical disabilities and severe morbidity after treatment.

Background Cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare life-threatening infection in the head and neck region that characteristically spreads along the fascial planes to involve subcutaneous tissues, fascia and fat, however, in late stages it can involve muscles and skin. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of cervicofacial NF among patients attending treatment at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH). Methods This was a prospective descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study which was carried at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) from May 2013 to April 2014. It included 42 patients with cervicofacial NF. They were interviewed for demographic information, chief complaints, symptoms, duration and treatment received before reporting at MNH. A thorough assessment of general health condition of the patients and laboratory investigations were followed by management according to MNH protocol. Data obtained from these patients were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences SPSS 20. Results During the study period, 151 patients reported at MNH with odontogenic infections. A total of 42 (27.8%) patients satisfied our diagnostic criteria for cervicofacial NF. The age range was 15 years to 83 years (mean 43.95, SD +/− 16.16). Greater (35.7%) proportion was in the age group of 30–39 years with 31 (73.8%) males and 11 (27.2%) females making a male to female ratio of 2.8:1. Fifteen (35.7%) patients had at least one co-existing systemic condition, which included anaemia in 5 (11.9%) patients, followed by diabetes mellitus (DM) and malnutrition 4 (9.5%) patients each and HIV infection 2 (4.8%) patients. Others were combination of; HIV infection and malnutrition, HIV infection and anaemia and diabetes mellitus and anaemia each in one (2.4%) patient. There was a mortality of 42.9% comprising of 14 (33.3%) males and 4 (9.6%) females. Conclusions Cervicofacial NF is a polymicrobial infection, requiring surgery, antibiotics and management of co-existing systemic conditions. Anaemia, diabetes mellitus and malnutrition were the main co-existing systemic conditions. The rather high mortality was mainly attributable to late reporting.