Tomislav Ćabov

The Reliability of Chronological Age Determination by Means of Mandibular Third Molar Development in Subjects in Croatia

Abstract:  The aim of this study was to determine the development of the mandibular third molar and its relation to chronological age. The evaluated material consisted of 979 orthopantomograms of patients of Croatian Caucasian origin aged between 5.7 and 14.6 years. Third molar developmental stages were evaluated according to the stages proposed by Nolla. The frequencies of different stages of mineralization and the mean value of the mineralization of the mandibular third molars with regard to age, gender, and size of the mandible were determined and the coefficient of correlation determined between the age of the subject and the stage of development of the mandibular molars. Statistically significant correlation was determined between mineralization of the mandibular third molar and chronological age of the subjects (boys, mandibular left third molar r = 0.779, right third molar r = 0.793; girls, mandibular left third molar r = 0.746, right third molar r = 0.725). It can be concluded that the accuracy of age estimation based on Nolla’s method is applicable for Croatian children.

Secular Trend in the Development of Permanent Teeth in a Population of Istria and the Littoral Region of Croatia

The study evaluated secular trends in dental development during a period of 30 years, correlation between dental and chronological age in Istria and the littoral region of Croatia. The sample consisted of 1000 panoramic radiographs of children, aged 6–16 years (mean 10.0 ± 1.8), taken in the period 1977–1979 (N = 500; 243 females) and 2007–2009 (N = 500; 299 females). Dental age was assessed according to Demirjians method. Correlation between chronological and dental age was linear, positive, high, and statistically significant in both periods and genders, ranging from 0.73 to 0.86. Dental age was underestimated when compared to chronological age by 1 year on average, more 30 years ago (−1.35 ± 1.17) than today (−0.63 ± 1.09), less for girls (−0.80 ± 1.22) than boys (−1.21 ± 1.10). A statistically significant positive secular trend in acceleration of dental development was present of 0.72 years during the 30‐year period and was more significant in girls than boys (0.83‐ and 0.51‐year acceleration).

Case report of calcifying odontogenic cyst through history of the nomenclature and classification of odontogenic tumors

Aim was to show a case of a patient with a rare entity, calcifying odontogenic cysts, through the history of the transformation of the nomenclature and classification of odontogenic tumors. A young healthy male visited the Clinic for Dental Medicine because he had, slow growing painful swelling in the right wisdom tooth. Diagnostic imaging, CBCT is indicated partly solid, partly cystic unilocular enlightenment. The cyst was enucleated and material was forwarded to the histopathologic analysis. Pathological analysis revealed a benign formation of odontogenic origin and represents calcifying odontogenic epithelial cyst. Because of diverse behavior of calcifying odontogenic cyst there is a wide range of descriptive nomenclature assigned to date this lesion. Research in the future, which would include molecular and genetic diagnostic methods, could eventually propose a universal acceptable classification.

Forces that fracture teeth during extraction with mandibular premolar and maxillary incisor forceps

Our aim was to measure the forces that fracture teeth during extraction based on the effectiveness of the extraction forceps, and to compare them with data collected about forces applied to extracted teeth that did not fracture. We studied 208 patients whose teeth fractured during both the standard and our new method of extraction: maxillary incisors (n=79) extracted with forceps 1 (maxillary incisor forceps), and both maxillary (n=95) and mandibular incisors (n=34) extracted with forceps 13 (mandibular premolar forceps). Forces needed to fracture were assessed with a specially-designed instrument for measuring pressure and rotation. Mean (SD) pressure at the fracture site was significantly higher in maxillary incisors extracted with forceps 1 (1.26 (0.26) bar) then in both maxillary and mandibular incisors extracted with forceps 13 (0.96 (0.19) and 0.98 (0.16), p<0.001). Pressure at dislocation and both left and right rotation showed similar patterns. Pressure correlated to root surfaces of teeth ranging from r=0.35-0.54 but the correlation coefficients did not differ significantly between the teeth-forceps groups. Pressure was higher in fractured than in extracted teeth, and this varied from 3%-48%. In conclusion, forces that break teeth during extractions are sometimes only slightly higher than the extraction forces, so caution is needed during extraction.