ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The roots of primary molars were found in the permanent dentition without symptoms on the clinical or radiographic examination. However, their incidence could not be achieved on the current literature. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the radiographic features of the embedded primary molar roots in adult dentulous patients in Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data, from 5000 adult patients, including panoramic radiographs and demographic information, were evaluated retrospectively. The prevalence and location of the primary molar roots in the jaws were determined, as well as the prevalence and location of the primary molar roots in the adjacent permanent root levels. RESULTS: Among 5000 Turkish population dentulous patients, 20 retained primary molar roots (0.38%) were found in 19 ones. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of the primary molar roots in the present study was found to be lower than that of the previous study. This finding may result from the larger amount of patient data that was evaluated in this study, which used panoramic radiographs.
Subject(s)
Dentition, Permanent , Molar/diagnostic imaging , Radiography, Panoramic/methods , Tooth Root/diagnostic imaging , Tooth, Deciduous/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Female , Humans , Incidence , Male , Mandible/diagnostic imaging , Maxilla/diagnostic imaging , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Retrospective Studies , TurkeyABSTRACT
Dacryolith is a concretion within the nasolacrimal system. Dacryoliths may cause intermittent epiphora without inflammation, or recurrent dacryocystitis may develop. In this report, we present two patients with dacryoliths. The first patient had presented with a complaint of swelling and epiphora and had been told that she had lacrimal canal obstruction. This patient was unaware of the cause of obliteration and was asymptomatic. The second patient complained of headache, eye swelling and inflammation; dacryolith was diagnosed by clinical examination and dacryocystography. Dacryoliths were detected on the panoramic radiographs as small, rounded, radiopaque calcifications located in the inner aspect of the medial wall of the orbit. The image of dacryoliths must be differentiated from radiographic artefacts and foreign objects, and it is important to recognize dacryoliths on panoramic radiographs and to refer the patients for medical care, if necessary.
