Incidental Pathology and Anatomic Variations in Oral and Maxillofacial Cone-beam Computed Tomographic Scans.

Aims: To determine the occurrence of incidental pathological and anatomical findings in CBCT scans. Study Design: Retrospective cross sectional descriptive study which was done at a private imaging center from 2010 to 2012. Methodology: 97 CBCT scans of the oral and maxillofacial area were reviewed. Results: Scans of the maxilla were the commonest 60 (62%) and only 37 (38%) were mandibular scans. There were 55 (57%) scans whose indication for imaging could be ascertained. These were used to study the incidental findings. Majority (36, 65%) of the examinations were done on female patients while 19 (35%) were for males. Most 32 (58%) of the scans were required for implant site assessment. There were incidental findings in 40 (73%) scans, 35 (64%) had pathologies while 9 (16%) had significant anatomical findings. The highest overall rate of incidental pathological finding was in the airway area (18, 33%), followed by dental (16, 29%), periapical (13, 24%), periodontal lesions (7, 13%) and foreign bodies (2, 4%). Scans with incidental anatomical findings included variations in root canal morphology (6, 11%), nerve foramina (2, 4%) and dental roots protruding into the maxillary antrum (2, 4%). Conclusion: Various incidental findings in CBCT images are to be expected. Pathological findings were the commonest while airway findings were the majority. A thorough review of CBCT scans will ensure early diagnosis and management of incidental pathologies while a good documentation of significant anatomical variations will provide important pre-operative information.

Oral health status among kenyans in a rural arid setting: dental caries experience and knowledge on its causes

Objective: To determine the dental caries experience and knowledge on the causes and preventive measures for dental diseases. Design: A community based cross-sectional descriptive study.Setting: Elwak sub-district hospital; North Eastern Province; Kenya. Subjects: One hundred and forty one adults who presented themselves during a dental check up at a sub-district hospital and gave written consent. Main outcome measures: Dental caries status and knowledge on its causes and preventive measures. The importance of outreach programmes in obtaining information as well as helping to alleviate the pain and suffering caused by dental diseases among communities living in remote areas is also revealed. Results: Of the one hundred and forty one individuals; who were included in the study; 63.1