[Evaluation of symmetrical or asymmetrical pattern of nursing caries in 3-5 year-old children at kindergartens in Tehran during 2009-2010]

Nursing Caries [NC] is a destructive form of caries because of incorrect nutritional habits in infants that affects deciduous teeth after eruption. Familiarity with the pattern of this type of caries and evaluation of its symmetrical or asymmetrical pattern is necessary for effective and scientific diagnosis and treatment. The aim was to assess the symmetrical or asymmetrical aspects of Nursing Caries in children between 3-5 years old. In this cross-sectional study, 10 kindergartens were randomly selected by the Tehran Welfare Organization. 115 children with NC caries entered to study after examination. Written consents were obtained from the parents. The dmfs in upper primary incisors and upper and lower primary canines, as well as the first primary molars were assessed and the caries pattern in terms of symmetrical or asymmetrical aspects was evaluated. The data were analyzed by ANOVA, LSD, Chi-square and Fisher tests. In 53.9% of the children with NC, the anterior teeth were affected symmetrically, while 46.1% indicated an asymmetrical pattern. In general, 32.2% of the teeth were affected in a symmetrical pattern and 67.8% of them in an asymmetrical pattern. About the relationship between the breastfeeding from the right or left breast and the symmetrical pattern of the NC, 51% of the children were equally breastfed from both breasts. However, in the asymmetrical NC pattern with more impact in the right side of dentition, 50% of the children had been breastfed from the left side and in children with more caries in the left side of dentition, 50% of them had been breastfed from the right side [P=0.01]. NC has symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns. Direction of mother for breastfeeding affects the symmetrical and asymmetrical pattern of NC

[ occurrence of anomalies of primary anterior teeth and their concurrence with the permanent successors anomalies in Iranian children]

Numerous studies report the prevalence of tooth absence, extra tooth, and double tooth [fusion and germination] in anterior primary teeth as being just less than 1%. Due to low prevalence of such anomalies, little attention is paid to them. There are concrete effects on corresponding permanent teeth and developing occlusion in about 50% of these cases. The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of such problems in 113 cases, and to discuss the effect of these anomalies on the permanent successors. A total of 113 cases of the different 4 types of anomalies [39 cases of fusion, 14 cases of germination, 39 cases of missing, and 21 cases of supernumerary teeth] were studied. The cases were among the patients referring to the author's private clinic during the past 20 years for whom an appropriate radiography had been performed. The cases with tooth absence due to extraction or trauma were excluded. The results of the study were descriptively analyzed and reported. In the present study, the distribution of the anomalies including 39 cases of fusion, 14 cases of germination, 39 cases of issuing, and 21 cases of supernumerary teeth based on sex, maxillary and mandibular arches, tooth type, being unilateral or bilateral, as well as the impact of each on the succeeding permanent teeth were reported. The results show that the highest prevalence of fusions was seen in the central and lateral mandibular teeth, while there was a good balance for the missing tooth in both arches. In almost 50% of the cases, the presence of fusion in primary teeth was accompanied with a missing of permanent tooth, yet in germination, the number of permanent teeth was normal. Finally, in almost half of the cases with supernumerary tooth, there was supernumerary tooth in permanent dentition. The results in this study is valuable indicating that tooth radiograph is helpful in evaluating the number of anterior permanent teeth in case such anomalies exist; Thereby, suitable treatment plans for the future could be established

effect of parental presence on the 5 year-old children's anxiety and cooperative behavior in the first and second dental visit

One of the most significant problems in pediatric dentistry is behavioral resistance of preschool children in the first visit. There is a debate on parental presence in operation room. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Iranian 5-year-old children's behavior including anxiety and cooperation relative to parental presence in the first and second dental appointments. The study was conducted on sixty seven 5-year-old children selected according to inclusion criteria and randomly divided into two subgroups. Children in group I were visited in parent's presence and in group II in parent's absence. Before the child's first dental visit, parents were interviewed. Forty eight of the children receiving the initial examination were recalled for a second visit. The children's responses during the Holst procedure of the first visit and restorative second visit were assessed using a combination of two measures including heart rate and clinical behavior. The dentist-patient interactions were regulated by standardized scripts and recorded on videotape. Then, the behavior of the child on the recording during each visit was quantified by two pediatric dentists independently according to Venham 6-point rating scale and Frankle 4-point rating scale. There were no significant differences between the heart rate measures of children in group I and II in the first and second visit [0.67, 0.8 respectively]. There were also no significant differences between the clinical anxiety scores of children in the two groups in the first and second visit [0.98, 0.42 respectively]. Moreover, there were no significant differences between the clinical cooperation scores of children in group I and group II in the first and second visit [0.88, 0.40 respectively], neither were there any significant differences between response measures of each child between two visits [P>0.05]. In addition, there were no significant differences related to sex, parental education and dental experiences [P>0.05]. Parental presence or absence doesn't affect an Iranian 5-year-old child's anxiety on the first and second dental visit, as well as an Iranian 5-year-old child's cooperation on the first and second dental visit