ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Age estimation is important for administrative and ethical reasons and also because of legal consequences. Dental pulp undergoes regression in size with increasing age due to secondary dentin deposition and can be used as a parameter of age estimation even beyond 25 years of age. Kvaal et al. developed a method for chronological age estimation based on the pulp size using periapical dental radiographs. There is a need for testing this method of age estimation in the Indian population using simple tools like digital imaging on living individuals not requiring extraction of teeth. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Estimation of the chronological age of subjects by Kvaal's method using digital panoramic radiographs and also testing the validity of regression equations as given by Kvaal et al. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample included a total of 152 subjects in the age group of 14-60 years. Measurements were performed on the standardized digital panoramic radiographs based on Kvaal's method. Different regression formulae were derived and the age was assessed. The assessed age was then correlated to the actual age of the patient using Student's t-test. RESULTS: No significant difference between the mean of the chronological age and the estimated age was observed. However, the values of the mean age estimated by using regression equations as given previously in the study of Kvaal et al. significantly underestimated the chronological age in the present study sample. CONCLUSION: The results of the study give an inference for the feasibility of this technique by calculation of regression equations on digital panoramic radiographs. However, it negates the applicability of same regression equations as given by Kvaal et al. on the study population.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Tumor markers are substances, which quantitatively changes in serum, during the tumor development, one such tumor marker is serum ß2-microglobulin (ß2-m). The aim of this study was to establish the role of ß2-m as a biochemical parameter for diagnosis and prognosis of oral carcinoma by estimation of serum ß2-m levels in potentially malignant lesions, conditions, and oral squamous cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out on 48 subjects (16 control, 8 oral submucous fibrosis, 8 oral leukoplakia, and 16 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients of different stages), conducted at department of Oral Medicine, Kothiwal Dental College, Moradabad, India. Under aseptic precautions, 5 ml venous blood was drawn and serum was separated. Estimation of ß2-m level in serum was carried out by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The data were analyzed by using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 17.0) software. Cases and controls were tested for statistical significance with one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey's HSD. Values of P < 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: The mean serum ß2-m level in the control group was 1.173 ± 0.059, in potentially malignant lesions/conditions group was 1.688 ± 0.137 and in oral squamous cell carcinoma group was 2.835 ± 0.0313. This progressive increase in serum ß2-m level was found to be highly significant (P value < 0.001). Results of Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed ß2-m as a 100% sensitive and specific biomarker for oral squamous cell carcinoma. CONCLUSION: The present study establishes ß2-m as a specific biological tumor marker for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
ABSTRACT
AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasonography (USG) with color Doppler and power Doppler applications over conventional radiography in the diagnosis of periapical lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients having inflammatory periapical lesions of the maxillary or mandibular anterior teeth and requiring endodontic surgery were selected for inclusion in this study. All patients consented to participate in the study. We used conventional periapical radiographs as well as USG with color Doppler and power Doppler for the diagnosis of these lesions. Their diagnostic performances were compared against histopathologic examination. All data were compared and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: USG examination with color Doppler and power Doppler identified 29 (19 cysts and 10 granulomas) of 30 periapical lesions accurately, with a sensitivity of 100% for cysts and 90.91% for granulomas and a specificity of 90.91% for cysts and 100% for granulomas. In comparison, conventional intraoral radiography identified only 21 lesions (sensitivity of 78.9% for cysts and 45.4% for granulomas and specificity of 45.4% for cysts and 78.9% for granulomas). There was definite correlation between the echotexture of the lesions and the histopathological features except in one case. CONCLUSIONS: USG imaging with color Doppler and power Doppler is superior to conventional intraoral radiographic methods for diagnosing the nature of periapical lesions in the anterior jaws. This study reveals the potential of USG examination in the study of other jaw lesions.
