Patrícia Moreira Rabello

Use of the Chronological Dental Mineralization Table of Nicodemo, Moraes and Medici Filho (1974) to Estimate Age by Undergraduate Dentistry Students

Objective: To evaluate the agreement and applicability of the Chronological Dental Mineralization Table of Nicodemo, Moraes and Medici Filho (1974) to estimate age held by undergraduate Dentistry students at the Federal University of Paraiba. Material and Methods: Field research applied with a sample of 50 students according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Sequentially, 3 panoramic radiographs were exposed (actual age known only by teachers), and students were instructed to interpret them from the selection of 2-4 teeth under formation. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (Statistical Package for Social Sciences), version 20.0, adopting significance level of 5%. Results: Most students chose 3 teeth, with percentages of 56.0% (n = 28); 38.0% (n = 19) and 58.0% (n = 29) for radiographs 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Teeth selected with greater frequency were: 47 (20.1%, n = 33) and 45 (19.5%, n = 32) - radiography 1; 38 (22.7%, n = 32) and 18 (13.4%, n = 19) - radiography 2; and 47 (17.9%; n = 26) and 36 (13.7%; n = 20) - radiography 3. The agreement between estimated and actual ages was 60.0% for radiography 1, 12.0% for radiography 2 and 32.0% for radiography 3. Age was underestimated in 40.0% (n = 20) and 88.0% (n = 44) in radiographs 1 and 2, respectively. Overestimation of the actual age occurred only in radiography 3 (68.0%; n = 34). The linear regression analysis revealed that it is possible to estimate the actual age from the maximum age stipulated by training students with 88.1% success rate. Conclusion: The method is applicable; however, the correlation between estimated and actual ages varied considerably among radiographs, and maximum estimated values were closer to the actual age than minimum values.

LEVANTAMENTO DAS JURISPRUDÊNCIAS DE PROCESSOS DE RESPONSABILIDADE CIVIL CONTRA CIRURGIÕES-DENTISTAS NOS TRIBUNAIS DE JUSTIÇA BRASILEIROS

Objective: To survey the case law of civil liability undertaken by patients against dentists in Brazilian states between 2006 and 2011. Material and Methods: Data were collected from websites of the Courts of Justice of each state, taking into account: obligation’ nature, its ground, the agent and dental specialties more involved. We carried out the calculation of coefficient of legal experience by dividing the number of cases per number of dentists registered at Federal and Regional Councils. Then, descriptive analysis was conducted. Results: The sample comprised 1046 jurisprudence and Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro showed the highest numbers of cases. Regarding the type of obligation assumed by dentists, 9.51% considered the result as the final aim of dentist-patient relation, while in 77.57% this information was not cited. Dentist’s responsibility was defined as subjective in 14.31% of jurisprudence, but in 70.33% it was not classified. The Brazilian coefficient of legal experience was 4.23 and the states that showed the highest values were Rio de Janeiro (11.75) and the Federal District (6.81). Regarding dental specialties, dental implants (11.53%) and prosthetics (9.3%) were the most cited. Conclusion: The Brazilian coefficient of legal experience is high and, despite the lack of information on some jurisprudence, it is clear that the responsibility of the dentist is usually interpreted as subjective, as source contract, with an obligation of result. DESCRIPTORS: Forensic Dentistry. Ethics, Dental. Dentist-Patient relations. Damage liability.

Estudo Queiloscópico em Graduandos de Odontologia

Resumen pt: Objetivo: realizar um estudo queiloscopico pela analise de caracteristicas dos labios como metodo de identificacao humana, observando-se as possiveis div...