Evaluation of aesthetic outcome of single tooth implant borne restoration

Objective: Culture is the way of life of a people; and is an integral component of their day-to-day existence. It influences the daily routine of a people, including their diet, dressing, religious disposition, and surprisingly, the degree to which orthodox medical practices impact their daily lives. Appreciating underlying cultural context will help health care workers influence patient's perceptions, especially where cultural practices are not in tandem with medical best practices. This is important, for example, in administration of informed consent for surgery. This study explored cultural beliefs of patients in relation to some common maxillofacial practices in Kano Nigeria.Methods: Patient's perceptions on oral cancers, use of nasogastric tubes, and tooth extraction was conducted amongst patients attending maxillofacial outpatient clinic of a tertiary Nigerian hospital from January to December 2015 using a non-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire.Results: Seventy-seven (77) patients were surveyed (52 males and 25 females), with ages ranging from 16 to 75 years. Most were aged 51-60 years (44.2%). Only 6.5% of respondents had higher than secondary education. Responses to the aetiology and treatment of oral cancers, use of nasogastric tubes for maxillofacial surgery patients and extraction of teeth showed cultural perceptions usually at variance with medical best practices.Conclusion: Patients' expectations and fears of maxillofacial surgery procedures are affected by their cultural beliefs. Proper acceptance of this, combined with targeted education and counselling may enhance patient's co-operation and acceptance of necessary surgical procedures when orthodox medical care is sought

Intercanthal Distance of a Sudanese Population Sample as a Reference for Selection of Maxillary Anterior Teeth Size

Background: The choice of the size of artificial teeth takes an important place in the removable prosthodontic treatment. However; the standards or proportions commonly used as a guide have been developed mainly on Caucasian populations. Objectives: to investigate the relationship between intercanthal distance and the anterior maxillary teeth size in Sudanese population. Methods: This is a descriptive cross sectional study conducted in 114 subjects; (45 males - 69 females); from Khartoum and Juba Universities. The age range was from 18-46 years. The intercanthal distance (I.C.D) was the measurement taken between the median angles of the palpabral fissure. Maxillary intercanine distance was obtained by measuring a line from the tip of the canine on one side; to the canine on the other side. An electronic digital caliper (Narex - Czechoslovakia) was used for all measurements. Data were analyzed using Person chi-square test. Results: a significant correlation is found between intercanthal distance and maxillary intercanine distance in all subjects (P-value 0.015); and in females who had a (P-value of 0.006).Maxillary intercanine distance may be estimated by dividing I.C.D by factor 0.9. Conclusion: These results could be used as a helpful guide for selection of anterior teeth width in the Sudanese population

Esthetique bucco-dentaire en milieu traditionnel au Senegal

La forte composante psycho-sociale de l'esthetique de maniere generale a stimule la recherche dans les habitudes socio-culturelles de la sous-region et la motivation esthetique des patients en dentisterie cosmetique. L'esthetique dentaire en milieu traditionnel au Senegal s'exprime a travers des habitudes culturelles et des artifices artisanaux. Cette esthetique exprime aussi le besoin d'embellissement et/ou de procedes magico-religieux. 70 a 80 pour cent de la population est rurale et reste fidele a ses traditions; ses coutumes et ses croyances (canons de beaute; pratiques initiatiques et artifices artisanaux). L'initiation constitue une exigence du groupe; une identification ethnique ou de hierarchie sociale dont l'individu a du mal a se liberer; leurs incidences biologiques et sanitaires sont souvent nefastes et parfois funestes. Le mode de vie citadin elimine de plus en plus la folklorisation de ces pratiques culturelles pour privilegier le confort et l'aseptie. L'odontologiste dispose de la dentisterie cosmetique; avec ses regles esthetiques occidentales; pour repondre aux besoins esthetiques du milieu. En l'informant et le sensibilisant; les praticiens contribueront a atteindre l'un des objectifs de la profession; l'esthetique