Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude and Practices among Adolescents in Choma District of Zambia

Introduction:Dentalcariesandperiodontaldiseases are the most common oral diseases globally. Early control of oral health behaviours is importantbecauselifestylesacquiredduringadolescence are powerful predictors of adult health. We conducted a study to determine knowledge, attitude and practices on oral hygiene among school-going adolescents in Choma district of Zambia.Methodology:Across-sectionalstudywasconducted among school-going adolescents in randomly selected schools in Choma District. Atotal of 335 participants were included in the study. Data were collected using a closed-end self-administered questionnaire. The sample size was distributed among the six schools in the ratio of their population. The study included anyone from grades 8-12. Data were analysed using IBM software for SPSS. We employedthe Chi-Squaretesttoinvestigate the association between variables. Ap-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study had 173 males and 162 females in the age range of 12-19 years. The majority (87.8%) had good knowledge, 69.4% had good attitude and 87.5% had good practice on oral -hygiene. Practice was influenced by sex with females having good oral hygiene as compared to their male counterparts. About 97.2% thought that dental health education is essential in schools. 34% indicated that they had visited the dentist when they experienced a toothache. However, parental advice to regularly visit the dentist was low (n=39).The majority 49.9% (n=167) indicated that they had not visited the dentist due to fear of the dental equipment set up.Conclusion and recommendation: Despite the majority having good knowledge and attitude on oral hygiene, there is a need to acquaint children with milling and dental units found in most dental offices. This may instil confidence in children to seek specialist dental treatment whenever they develop any dental disease. Further,parents need to be incorporated as partners in promoting oral health hygiene among school-going adolescents.

Analyzing dental arch shape in untreated orthodontic patients with anterior arch crowding

Objective: Crowding of the dentition results in distortion of the arch form and orthodontic treatment unravels the crowding based on the shape of the wire of arch form utilized. Alteration of an existing arch form with the wrong arch wire and biomechanics may result in unstable results. Selection of the appropriate arch wire shape based on the patient's original arch form results in a finished orthodontic treatment which is aesthetically pleasing, preserves the shape and function, with long term stability of the finished case. The objective of the study was to analyze the dental arch shape in untreated orthodontic patients with anterior arch crowding. Methods: Dental casts of 100 untreated orthodontic patients with anterior arch crowding of both the maxilla and mandible were selected and classified using Angles method. Crowding was described as mild, moderate, severe and very severe using the index described by Little. The Occlusal plane was outlined for both jaws using brass wire adapted with sticky wax along the buccal cusps of the posterior teeth on one side of the arch through the incisal edges of the anterior teeth to the buccal cusps of the posterior teeth on the other side of the arch. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 22.0 software. All data was expressed as frequencies, percentages and means. The results were presented using frequency tables. Results: Upper arch shapes were identified as square in 58(58%), tapered in 18(18%) and ovoid in 24 (24%). Lower arch shapes were square in 60(60%), tapered in 36 (36%) and ovoid in 4(4%). Anterior arch crowding was seen in both arches as mild in 68(68%), moderate in 17(17%), severe in 9(9%) and very severe in 6(6%). The highest prevalence of anterior crowding was seen in the mild variant and in the square shape in both the upper and lower arch forms in 43 (63.2%), respectively. The tapered arch form was not demonstrated in the very severely crowded upper arch, while the ovoid arch form in the lower arch was not evident in the severe and very severe variant of crowding. This was however not statistically significant. Conclusion: The square arch form is most prevalent in cases of upper and lower crowding

Dental Spacing in Primary Dentition of Nigerian Children and its Relationship to Arch and Crown Dimensions

Objectives: The aims of this study were to compare mesiodistal and buccolingual crown widths; as well as dental arch dimensions between children with spaced and normal dental arches; and to determine which of the parameters mostly influence dental spacing. Methods: Crown and dental arch dimensions of dental casts of 125 children; grouped into spaced and normal primary dental arches; based on the tooth size-arch length discrepancy; were measured using electronic digital caliper. The data were statistically analyzed using t-test and stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results: Maxillary and mandibular spaced arches had statistically significant larger intercanine widths than the normal arches. The total mesiodistal tooth size in both arches; and mean buccolingual width of the mandibular first and second primary molars of the spaced arches were significantly smaller than those of the normal arches. However; there were no significant differences between spaced and normal arches in arch length; arch depth and intermolar arch width. The most important predictor of spacing in both arches is the intercanine width; followed by total mesiodistal tooth size. Conclusions: The parameter that mostly influences dental spacing is the intercanine width

Traitement d'un cas de classe II avec extraction : cas clinique

Le choix des extractions est une etape importante dans le plan de traitement orthodontique. Ce choix peut changer d'une hemiarcade a l'autre et peut se faire pour des besoins occlusaux et dentaires. Le but de cet article est de mettre le doigt; a travers un cas clinique; sur une decision d'extraction qui peut trouver son indication dans certaines situations mais qui peut poser des problemes d'ordre occlusal et esthetique a cause de l'asymetrie de l'arcade; mais aussi des difficultes therapeutiques vue la necessite d'individualiser les arcs de finition pour chaque hemiarcade a part; sans nuire a l'harmonie occlusale de l'ensemble

Ensemble cranio-facial : equilibre architectural de 95 individus ivoiriens

"Afin de determiner un equilibre architectural de 95 individus ivoiriens de sexe masculin ayant une bonne occlusion et de bons rapports alveolo-dentaires; l'etude de l'ensemble cranio-facial par l'analyse de DELAIRE confirme bien le merite de cette analyse et permet d'objectiver; de quantifier les variations d'equilibre d'un sujet examine. Cette analyse n'a permis aux auteurs de donner ni des ""normes"" des angles ni des segments. Elle ne peut alors se passer de l'etude structurale a savoir des structures molles"

Etude de la courbe spee chez le jeune ivoirien

De nombreux travaux concernant la courbe de Spee ont ete realises chez les populations caucasiennes lors de l'etude de l'occlusion et la conception des articulateurs. Il est generalement admis qu'une courbe de Spee reduite est un facteur d'occlusion ideale. Ainsi l'un des premiers buts recherches lors de traitements orthodontiques est le nivellement de la courbe de Spee; celle-ci entrainant toutefois une augmentation de la longueur d'arcade mandibulaire et une diminution des valeurs des composants du guidage anterieur. Nous nous proposons dans cette etude d'evaluer la courbe de Spee et de rechercher les relations entre-elles: la longueur de l'arcade mandibulaire et les composants du guidage anterieur dans un echantillon de 95 jeunes ivoiriens de 12 a 19 ans; de sexe masculin; presentant une denture complete et harmonieuse. Cette analyse servirait de base a l'etude de la dysharmonie dento-dentaire