Rachana V Prabhu

Areca nut and its role in oral submucous fibrosis

Areca nut, commonly called as betel nut or supari, is a fruit of areca catechu palm tree, which is native of South Asia and Pacific Islands. The seed or endosperm is consumed fresh, boiled or after sun drying or curing. Chewing areca nut is thought to have central nervous system stimulating effect and along with this it is known to have salivary stimulating and digestive properties. According to the traditional Ayurvedic medicine, chewing areca nut and betel leaf is a good remedy against halitosis. It is also used for its deworming property. Along with these beneficial effects of areca nut one of its most harmful effects on the human body in general and oral cavity in particular is the development of potentially malignant disorder called Oral Submucous Fibrosis. The present paper discusses in detail the effects of the components of areca nut on pathogenesis of Oral Submucous Fibrosis. Key words:Areca nut, oral submucous fibrosis, potentially malignant disorder, supari.

Compound odontoma in deciduous dentition

Odontomas are benign tumors containing all the components of the odontogenic tissue. Disturbances in tooth eruption are one of the most common complications associated with odontomas. They are generally asymptomatic and are usually seen in second and third decades of life, rarely seen below 10 years of age. Herewith, we report an unusual occurrence of compound odontoma in a 4-year-old child visualized as a swelling of the cortical bone in the anterior maxilla.

Prevalence of Talon cusp in Indian population.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of the talon cusps in a sample of Indian dental patients and their distribution among different types of teeth. To determine the presence of other dental anomalies associated with the talon cusps. Method: 2740 out patients (1523 males and 1217 females) attending Oral Medicine department from November 2010 to January 2011 were screened for the presence of talon cusps and were subjected to Intra Oral Peri-apical (IOPA) radiograph to rule out any associated anomalies or peri-apical changes. Results: Talon cusps were detected in 16 out of 2740 patients (person prevalence 0.58%). Thirty one teeth were found to have talon cusp. Maxillary lateral incisors were the most commonly affected teeth (54.8%, 17 teeth), followed by maxillary central incisors and canines (16.12%, 5 teeth).Talon cusp was found in two mandibular central incisors (6.45%) and one each in mandibular second and third molar (3.22% each). Seventeen teeth in 7 patients (54.83%) were found to be associated with anomalies like dens invagination (6 teeth, 19.35%), impacted 13, 23 (6 teeth, 19.35%), partial anodontia (3 teeth, 9.67%), geographic and fissured tongue (2 teeth, 6.45%). Peri-apical granuloma was found in one tooth with talon cusp associated with dens invaginatus. None of the patients were found to be associated with any syndromes. Conclusion: Attention should be paid to the presence of the talon cusp and the associated anomalies. Early diagnosis of the talon cusp can help the clinician in preventing the further complications. Key words:Orthopantomography, atheroma, stroke.

Digital method for lip print analysis: A New approach.

Aim: To evaluate the uniqueness and to define a standard method for the analysis of lip prints. Materials and Methods: Lip prints of 100 students were taken using Scotch tape without any distortion. These prints were then scanned for the digital analysis. Using Adobe Photoshop 7 software an attempt was made to trace each and every line using Suzuki and Tsuchihashis classification. Weighted value scoring system was used to check for the uniqueness of the lip prints. Results: No two lip prints had exactly matching scores in all four Quadrants. No statistically significant difference was found in the change of pattern in lip print images collected after 12 months from the same individual. With digital analysis, up to 15 lines were traceable in 66%, 71%, 52% and 51% of Quadrant I, II, III and IV respectively. Conclusion: Lip prints are unique to an individual. The digital method of analyzing lip print images serves better visualization, ease in identification and recording of the lip print pattern. Weighted Value Scoring system can be considered as a standard method for determining the uniqueness of the lip prints.

Multiple Peripheral Osteomas of Forehead: Report of a Rare Case

Osteoma is a benign slow growing osteogenic lesion, composed of well-differentiated mature bone tissue, characterized by the proliferation of compact or cancellous bone, almost exclusively found in the head and neck region. Central, peripheral and extra skeletal are the three variants of osteoma. Trauma, inflammation, developmental disorders and genetic defects are considered as the etiologic factors. Paranasal sinuses are the favourite locations of peripheral osteoma of the craniofacial region; frontal and ethmoidal sinuses being the common ones. Although, peripheral osteomas are usually benign, innocuous lesions, their size and prominent location on the visible parts of the face makes the surgical intervention necessary. We report case of multiple peripheral osteomas of forehead, without involvement of the frontal sinus, which is a rare variety.

Bilateral inflammatory cysts of the jaw: report of an unusual case

Radicular cyst is the most common odontogenic cyst occurring in the jaws. The cyst is commonly found in relation to the maxillary anterior teeth in the third and fifth decade of life. Although multiple radicular cysts are not uncommon in the jaws, bilaterally symmetrical representation of these cysts is rare. Radiographs prior to extraction help in diagnosis of these cysts and thereby prevent further morbidities. We report a case of 16-year-old male patient who presented bilateral radicular cysts symmetrically in the mandible.

Concurrent occurrence of dens evaginatus and dens invaginatus in maxillary incisors: a case report and review

Dens evaginatus (DE) and dens invaginatus (DI) are developmental anomalies that affect the shape of the teeth. Although they have been found singly and in association with other developmental anomalies in the same patient, it is uncommon to observe these two anomalies in the same tooth. There are only a few published cases of concurrent DI and DE in the same tooth. The patient in the case reported here was a 27-year-old man who exhibited a novel combination of DE and DI in permanent maxillary incisors. Early diagnosis of this anomaly is necessary. The clinician then can take particular care when performing prophylactic odontoplasty for the DE, keeping in mind that the associated DI presents an increased risk of early pulpal involvement. This article focuses on the management aspects of DE and DI.

Oral Manifestations of HIV

Oral manifestations of HIV are common and have been important in identification of patients harboring the HIV virus and in predicting the decline in their immune system. Careful history taking and detailed examination of the patient’s oral cavity are important parts of the physical examination. Early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of HIV-associated oral lesions may reduce morbidity. Orofacial manifestations are among the earliest and most common clinical signs of pediatric HIV disease too. Early diagnosis of perinatally exposed infants and children is especially important because the inter¬vals between infection, development of AIDS, and death are compressed in pediatric patients. Early diagnosis allows prompt institu¬tion of both multi-drug therapy, which appears to be most effective when instituted early, and prophylactic therapy to fore¬stall life-threatening opportunistic infections. The present paper discusses in detail the oral manifestations of HIV and their diagnostic criteria in adults as well as in pediatric patients.

Field cancerization: A review

Concept of field cancerization was first introduced over six decades ago in the setting of oral cancer. Later, field cancerization involving histologic and molecular changes of neoplasms and adjacent tissue was explained. Field cancerization involves the lateral spread of pre-malignant or malignant disease and contributes to the recurrence of head and neck tumors. The overall hypothesis underlying this work is that endothelial cells actively participate in tumor cell invasion by secreting chemokines and creating a chemotactic gradient for tumor cells. The article tries to explain the conflicting aspects of field cancerization in the setting of oral cancer.

Mandibular facial talon cusp: A rare case report

Talon cusp (TC) is a relatively uncommon developmental anomaly characterized by cusp-like projections from the cemento-enamel junction to a variable distance toward the incisal edge of an anterior tooth. It usually presents on palatal/lingual surface of the anterior teeth. Studies have revealed that it consists of enamel, dentine and a variable amount of pulp tissue. Presence of this cusp on the facial surface of an anterior tooth is a rare finding with very few cases being reported in the literature. The effects of TCs are mainly aesthetic and functional. The management requires a sufficient knowledge of the present clinical entity and the problems associated with it. Early detection and treatment plays a very vital role in avoiding the future complications. The present case reports a 25-year-old male patient with a facial TC on the mandibular left central incisor in which a prophylactic enameloplasty was carried out to avoid the stagnation of debris and stain.