Ingrid Tonni

Advantages of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in the orthodontic treatment planning of cleidocranial dysplasia patients: a case report

Our aim was to discuss, by presenting a case, the possibilities connected to the use of a CBCT exam in the dental evaluation of patients with Cleidocranial Dysplasia (CCD), an autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasia with delayed exfoliation of deciduous and eruption of permanent teeth and multiple supernumeraries, often impacted. We think that CBCT in this patient was adequate to accurately evaluate impacted teeth position and anatomy, resulting thus useful both in the diagnostic process and in the treatment planning, with an important reduction in the radiation dose absorbed by the patient.

Condylar asymmetry in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Could it be a sign of a possible temporomandibular joints involvement?

OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to evaluate the condylar and ramal asymmetry of the mandible in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) using orthopantomographies (OPTs). METHODS A total of 30 JIA patients with confirmed diagnosis of JIA and a routine OPT, seeking for orthodontic therapy, free of specific symptoms of temporomandibular joint involvement, and 30 normal matched subjects with OPT were comprised in the study. The method of Habets et al. was used to compare the condyles and rami in OPT. The significance of between-group differences were assessed using Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS The results showed a high significant difference in the range of asymmetry of the condyle, being the patient group highly asymmetrical (P < 0.0001). No differences were found in the range of asymmetry of the ramus between groups (P = 0.47). The intra-group comparison between males and females showed a difference in the patient group (P = 0.04), being the females more asymmetric. CONCLUSIONS Knowing that the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is highly susceptible to inflammatory alterations during growth, even in absence of symptomatology, and being the OPT a cost-benefit favorable imaging tool widespread in the dental field, the latter could be used as a first screening examination in JIA patients to calculate the condylar asymmetry index. The use of this screening tool will help the physicians in addressing the patients that should undergo a more detailed TMJ imaging to early detect TMJ abnormalities and to early set up a targeted therapy of the related cranial growth alterations.

Reliability of kinesiography vs magnetic resonance in internal derangement of TMJ diagnosis: A systematic review of the literature

Abstract Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the accuracy and the diagnostic reliability of kinesiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosis of patients presenting temporomandibular disorders. Methods: A literature survey carried out through PubMed, SCOPUS, LILIACS, and the Cochrane Library from the inceptions to the last access on August 18 2016 was performed to locate randomized clinical trials, controlled trials, prospective cohort studies, or retrospective studies (with or without a control group), that examined the diagnostic reliability of recording devices of mandibular movements in comparison to MRI. Results: From the results, it was found that a significant correlation between these electronic devices and MR images could not be detected in case of disc displacement. Discussion: The scientific evidence does not support the usefulness in clinical practice of the jaw-tracking devices to diagnose temporomandibular disorders because their diagnostic reliability is poor.

Peripheral osteoma, compound odontoma, focal cemento-osseous dysplasia, and cemento-ossifying fibroma in the same hemimandible: CBCT findings of an unusual case

Peripheral osteoma is the most common subtype of osteoma that arises most frequently in the craniofacial bones. It may occur at any age with a male-to-female ratio of 2:1. Peripheral osteoma may affect the mandible, particularly the ramus and the condyle. Compound odontoma is a subtype of odontoma that occurs in young subjects without gender predilection. It affects the maxilla more frequently than the mandible. Focal cemento-osseous dysplasia and cemento-ossifying fibroma are 2 benign fibro-osseous lesions with a female predominance that occur most commonly in the posterior region of the mandible. We report the first case involving the simultaneous occurrence of these 4 benign lesions in the same hemimandible diagnosed by CBCT.