Navneet Goyal

Curcumin-role in dentistry

Curcuminoids can be defined as phenolic compounds derived from the roots of curcuma spp. (Zingiberaceae). The powdered form of the rhizome of C.longa is rich in curcuminoids. Recent emphasis on the use of natural and complementary medicines in western medicine has drawn the attention of the scientific community to this ancient remedy.1 Research has revealed that curcumin has a surprisingly wide range of beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity. Plants with medicinal properties are commonly used for treatment of various diseases since ancient times. Turmeric, a rhizome of curcuma longa is well known for its excellent therapeutic effects and is used for the treatment of number of diseases since ages. The antiinflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer properties of curcumin are widely studied and well established. The aim of this article is to review the pharmacological actions, therapeutic effects and adverse drug reactions of curcumin in the treatment of oral potentially malignant disorders.1,2

Stem Cell Therapy - A Review

Stem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide (through mitosis) and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can renew by itself to produce more stem cells. In mammals, there are two broad types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells, which are extracted from the inner cell mass of blastocysts, and adult stem cells, which are located in various tissues. Stem cells and progenitor cells act as a repair system for the body, replenishing tissues in adult organism. In a developing embryo, stem cells can differentiate into all the specialized cells (these are called pluripotent cells), but also help in maintainance of the normal turnover of regenerative organs, such as blood, skin, or intestinal tissues.

Prevalance of soft Palatemorphology - A Unique Cephalometric Study

Soft palate as part of nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal apparatus has an important role in phonation, deglutition and respiration. Its varied morphology is implicated in variety of diseases. Therefore, it is essential to establish the morphology of soft palate in normal patients to establish the variations in its morphology in various diseases. The present study aims to investigate the various shapes of soft palate and to find out predominant shape in pediatric group and adult group in Sunam population. The study population comprised of 70 patients at random that includes 35 adult patients group of age between 15–28 yrs and 35 pediatric out of which type 2 (rat tail-shaped soft palate) was the most frequent type in 16 cases (22.9%) in pediatric patient group and in 14 cases (20.0%) in adult patient group, which was an unusual finding. These findings can be used as patients group of age between 7–14 yrs, references for the research of velopharyngeal closure in cleft palate individuals and for the aetiological research of OSAS and other conditions.

Role of imaging in forensic odontology

Forensic radiology is a specialized area of medical imaging utilizing radiological techniques to assist physicians in matter pertaing to the law. With the advancement of newer technologies, more accurate information is obtained for identification as well as in the facial reconstruction of the unknown deceased person. Dentofacial imaging is a useful tool in forensic science to reveal characteristics of the structures of the dentofacial region. It helps in human identification that aids in age estimation and sex determination. This present article describes the various imaging modalities in Forensics.