Parents' Awareness of Early Orthodontic Consultation: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to assess parents' knowledge about early orthodontic consultation and treatment, and to determine the association of this knowledge with number of children, monthly income, children's age and perceived dental problems. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to 3000 school children aged 6-11 years. The children were asked to take the questionnaire to their parents and bring it back the next day. It consisted of 13 questions. Some of these questions were related to the gender of the child, number of children, and parents' monthly income. The remaining questions assessed the parents' awareness of their children's need for orthodontic treatment. RESULTS: In total, 2538 parents completed the questionnaire. Of these, 2014 (79%) of the parents thought that their children's teeth would have a significant impact on their personality. Moreover, 1637 (64.5%) parents thought that their children had a problem with their teeth; 1080 (66%) of these parents consulted a dentist. Of these 1080 parents, 821 (76%) consulted an orthodontist, and of these 821 parents, 449 (55%) initiated the required orthodontic treatment. The number of children who visited an orthodontist was found to increase with an increase in age (p = 0.0057). Moreover, a perceived overjet was associated with a higher number of orthodontic consultations (p = 0.0326). CONCLUSION: Although parents' awareness regarding their children's orthodontic treatment is important, other factors, such as the age of the child, the severity of the malocclusion and the consulted dentist, play a role in initiating orthodontic treatment.

Systematic Review of Clinical and Radiographic Signs of Pediatric Pleomorphic Adenoma of Minor Salivary Glands.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To examine the clinical signs, radiographical features, and demographics of pediatric pleomorphic adenoma (PA) in the minor salivary glands. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Several databases were searched for relevant studies. The included studies were assessed for methodological quality. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic data were collected. RESULTS: Sixteen of 3,121 articles met the inclusion criteria (17 lesions). The mean age was 9.7 ± 3.9 years and majority were females n = 10 (59%). It is commonly presented as asymptomatic swelling n = 16 (94.1%), in the hard palate 13 (76.5%). Radiographically, most were well-defined n = 15 (93.7%) and 8 (47%) caused erosion or displacement of surrounding tissues. CONCLUSION: The small size and asymptomatic nature of pediatric PA can render these lesions undiagnosed. On rare occurrences, PA can show calcifications, MRI, or CT enhancement. MRI is the best imaging modality to depict soft tissue content but not subtle erosion of adjacent bony structures. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The dentist can be the first to detect PA in the mouth of a child. Augmenting clinical examination with radiographic examination is paramount to ensure adequate diagnosis of PA, examine effects on surrounding bone, and maintain close follow-up as watchful waiting is not safe in this population.