Evaluation of black spaces between maxillary central incisors by dentistry students and laypeople.

This study aimed to compare the perception of smile esthetics and alterations among dentistry degree students and laypeople to identify differences in the esthetic perception of black spaces between the maxillary central incisors among Turkish laypeople and students in different study years. Photographs altered to include black spaces of various sizes at the midline were evaluated by 208 dentistry students in years 1-5 and 45 Turkish laypeople. Perceptional differences in different photographs were statistically significant. The students in years 2-5 were more aware of differences between photographs than year 1 students and laypeople. The proportion of participants who decided the most attractive photograph as A was highest among 3rd year students, followed by 5th year students. However, the proportion of students agreeing on the least attractive image was highest among 4th year students, followed by 3rd year students. Photographs A and H were selected as the most and least attractive, respectively, by all participants. The esthetic perception of 1st and 2nd year dentistry students was very different from that of laypeople. To increase esthetic perception among dentistry students, specific lessons with clinical photography should be included in dental education.

Esthetic impact of gingival plastic surgery from the dentistry students' perspective.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the this study was to evaluate the perception of smile esthetics and alterations in cases of gingival plastic surgery for correction of a gummy smile, by means of alterations in smile photograph among dentistry degree students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A frontal smile photograph of a 40-year-old woman having normal occlusion was used with diverse compositions of gingival exposure level and crown length of maxillary teeth. The eight photographs were evaluated by 216 dentistry students in five class groups (1(st), 2(nd), 3(rd), 4(th) and 5(th) classes). RESULTS: The results revealed that almost all of the class' students perceived differences between images, additionally, the highest percentage of students that answered "no difference" was 12% at 1(st) class' students. 1(st) and 2(nd) class' students most liked photograph which is 2.5 mm gingival display and 3(rd) class students liked two different photographs which are 2.5 mm gingival display and 2 mm gingival display whereas 4(th) class students preferred two different photographs which are 1.5 mm gingival display and 1 mm gingival display, 5(th) class students preferred photograph which is 1.5 mm gingival display as the most. CONCLUSION: Esthetic perception of smile improve as a student passes to higher study classes in terms of gingival exposure. The harmonious display of gingiva exhibits an important effect in the smile esthetics rather than reduced or excessive display.

Comparison of arch forms between Turkish and North American.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to clarify the morphological differences in the mandibular arches of Turkish and North American white subjects. METHODS: The sample included 132 Turkish (34 Class I, 58 Class II, and 40 Class III) and 160 North American (60 Class I, 50 Class II, and 50 Class III) subjects. The most facial portion of 13 proximal contact areas was digitized from photocopied images of patients' mandibular dental arches. Clinical bracket points were calculated for each tooth based on mandibular tooth thickness data. Four linear and two proportional measurements were taken. The subjects were grouped according to arch form types (tapered, ovoid and square) in order to have frequency distribution compared between ethnic groups in each Angle classification. RESULTS: The Turkish group showed significantly lower molar depth and more significant molar width-depth (W/D) ratio in all three Angle classifications. On the other hand, the Turkish group also showed a significantly larger intercanine width in Class III malocclusion and intermolar width in Class II malocclusion. The most frequent arch forms seen were the ovoid arch form in the Turkish group and the tapered form in the white group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that when treating Turkish patients, one should expect to use preformed ovoid arch form orthodontic wires in a significant percentage of patients.

Comparison of arch forms between Turkish and North American

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the morphological differences in the mandibular arches of Turkish and North American white subjects. Methods: The sample included 132 Turkish (34 Class I, 58 Class II, and 40 Class III) and 160 North American (60 Class I, 50 Class II, and 50 Class III) subjects. The most facial portion of 13 proximal contact areas was digitized from photocopied images of patients' mandibular dental arches. Clinical bracket points were calculated for each tooth based on mandibular tooth thickness data. Four linear and two proportional measurements were taken. The subjects were grouped according to arch form types (tapered, ovoid and square) in order to have frequency distribution compared between ethnic groups in each Angle classification. Results: The Turkish group showed significantly lower molar depth and more significant molar width-depth (W/D) ratio in all three Angle classifications. On the other hand, the Turkish group also showed a significantly larger intercanine width in Class III malocclusion and intermolar width in Class II malocclusion. The most frequent arch forms seen were the ovoid arch form in the Turkish group and the tapered form in the white group. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that when treating Turkish patients, one should expect to use preformed ovoid arch form orthodontic wires in a significant percentage of patients.

RESUMO Objetivo: o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as diferenças morfológicas entre as arcadas dentárias inferiores de indivíduos turcos e indivíduos norte-americanos leucodermas. Métodos: a amostra incluiu 132 indivíduos turcos (34 Classe I, 58 Classe II e 40 Classe III) e 160 norte-americanos (60 Classe I, 50 Classe II e 50 Classe III). A porção mais vestibular de 13 áreas de contato proximal foi digitalizada a partir de imagens impressas das arcadas dentárias inferiores dos pacientes. Os pontos de colagem dos braquetes foram calculados, para cada dente, com base em dados referentes à espessura dos dentes inferiores. Quatro medidas lineares e duas proporcionais foram obtidas. Os indivíduos foram classificados de acordo com o formato da arcada (triangular, oval e quadrada), permitindo que a frequência de cada formato fosse comparada entre os grupos étnicos, e dentro de cada classificação de Angle. Resultados: o grupo composto por indivíduos turcos apresentou profundidade da arcada na região dos molares significativamente menor, além de uma proporção largura/profundidade da arcada na região dos molares maior em todas as classificações de Angle. Em contrapartida, esse mesmo grupo mostrou maiores distâncias intercaninos nos pacientes Classe III e intermolares nos pacientes Classe II. A arcada oval foi a mais frequente no grupo composto por indivíduos turcos, enquanto a arcada triangular foi a mais frequente no grupo composto por indivíduos norte-americanos leucodermas. Conclusões: os resultados obtidos mostram que, ao tratar pacientes turcos, o profissional deve prever o uso de arcos ortodônticos pré-conformados ovais em um percentual significativo dos pacientes.

The effect of changes in lower incisor inclination on gingival recession.

AIM: Orthodontic treatment may promote development of recessions. The mechanism by which orthodontic treatment influences occurrence of recessions remains unclear. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that a change of mandibular incisor inclination promotes development of labial gingival recessions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample comprised dental casts and lateral cephalograms obtained from 109 subjects before orthodontic treatment (Tb) and after orthodontic treatment (Ta). Depending on the change of lower incisor inclination during treatment, the subjects were divided into three groups: Retroclination (R), Stable Position (S), and Proclination (P). The presence of gingival recessions of mandibular incisors and clinical crown heights were assessed on plaster models. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: From Tb to Ta, Inc_Incl showed a statistically significant change in the R, P, and S groups (p < 0.05). Increase of clinical crown heights of the lower incisors (42, 4, and 31) was not statistically significant in any group. The only statistically significant intergroup difference was the greater increase of the clinical crown height of tooth number 32 in the P group in comparison with the R group (p = 0.049). The change of lower incisor inclination during treatment did not lead to development of labial gingival recessions in the study sample.

Talon cusps occurring concurrently with dens invaginatus on a permanent maxillary lateral incisor: a case report and literature review.

A talon cusp is a prominent accessory horn-like structure that projects from the cingulum or cementoenamel junction of the maxillary or mandibular teeth. It can occur in primary and permanent dentition and can lead to occlusal interference, irritation of the tongue, pulpal necrosis, caries, and periodontal problems. Talon cusp has been reported to affect both sexes, and may be unilateral or bilateral. Talon cusps occur most often on the palatal surface of permanent maxillary incisors. A comprehensive literature review revealed only 6 reported cases of facial talon cusps. A talon cusp occurring simultaneously with dens invaginatus in a tooth is extremely rare; to date, only 9 case reports have been published. This article presents a unique case of concurrent dens invaginatus and palatal and facial talon cusps in the right maxillary central incisor of a 12-year-old girl.

Dens evaginatus on maxillary first premolar: Report of a rare clinical case.

Dens evaginatus (DE) is an odontogenic developmental anomaly that can be defined as a tubercle or protuberance from the involved surface of the affected tooth consisting of an outer layer of enamel, a core of dentin, and may contain a slender extension of pulp tissue. Early diagnosis and management of DE is important in order to prevent occlusal interference, compromised esthetics, carious developmental grooves, periodontal problems due to excessive occlusal forces, or irritation of the tongue during speech and mastication. DE usually affects the mandibular second premolars as an accessory cusp or a protuberance between the buccal and lingual cusps. Reports of DE on maxillary premolar are rare in the literature. We report one such extremely rare case of DE on maxillary first premolar.