Stature Prediction by Comparing Maxillary and Mandibular Intercanine Width and Intermolar Width among Tamil Nadu Population.

Background: Teeth are one of the strongest hard tissues that can resist a variety of antemortem and postmortem insults and an important evidence in the field of medicolegal and forensics. In the identification of unknown human remains of the deceased, stature estimation is a preliminary investigation. Previously, the comparison of osteometry with odontometry in stature determination has been made. Similarly, an attempt is made to estimate stature using intercanine and intermolar width which may be a forensic tool in the future. Aim and Objective: The aim of this study was to determine stature using intercanine and intermolar width in the maxillary and mandibular arches and correlating to identify highly reliable parameter among the two. Further to evaluate the usefulness of odontometry in stature determination. Materials and Methods: Subjects for the study were recruited from the outpatient department of APDCH and students of APDCH. One hundred subjects were included in the study comprising fifty males and fifty females within the age group of 17-28 years as per inclusion criteria. Digital Vernier caliper for measuring intercanine width (cusp tips on either sides) and intermolar width (central fossa of 1st molar on either sides) on the study models and standard anthropometer for measuring the height of the subject (vertex to the floor). Results: Compared to other parameters, the maxillary intercanine distance is statistically significant to P = 0.05 with correlation value of 0.06 by Pearson correlation method. Conclusion: The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis and was found that out of the four selected odontometric parameters, maxillary intercanine width with a P = of 0.032 and Pearson correlation of 0.307 in Group 1 (males) were found to show a significant correlation with height. Regression analysis was done, and regression equations were derived. The following regression equation can be used to calculate the height of an individual, Group 1 (male) -Y = B+ Ax. Y = 135.5 + 0.947X (X - maxillary inter canine width). This method of stature prediction may be of relative importance but not of absolute certainty, thereby making it an adjunct to various other methods of stature prediction. Therefore, using odontometric parameters in combination improves the predictability of estimating stature rather than a single parameter.

Immunohistochemical expression and evaluation of cyclin D1 and minichromosome maintenance 2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and verrucous carcinoma.

Background: The study of cell proliferation is important for assessing the tumor behavior, prognosis and patient survival of oral carcinomas. As literature search did not reveal sufficient studies of immunohistochemical expression of cyclin D1 and minichromosome maintenance 2 (MCM2) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and verrucous carcinoma (VC), the present study was undertaken. Materials and Methods: The study group included 20 cases of histopathologically diagnosed OSCC, 10 cases of VC and 10 cases of normal mucosa (NM). All samples were evaluated for the expression of cyclin D1 and MCM2 using standard Immunohistochemistry (IHC) procedure.The present study involved both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Qualitative analysis was done by evaluation of intensity and area of staining. Quantitative analysis was done by calculating the percentage of positively stained cells and assessing the labeling index (LI). Data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS statistical package (version 23.0). Results: On evaluating and comparing the intensity of staining and area of staining of cyclin D1 and MCM2 between the study groups, statistically significant values (P < 0.05) were obtained using Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA. Comparison of LI of cyclin D1 and MCM2 in NM, OSCC and VC statistically significant results (P < 0.05) was obtained using Mann-Whitney U-test. Mean LI of MCM2 was found to be significantly higher than mean LI of cyclin D1 in all the study groups. Conclusion: From the present study, we conclude that MCM2 has the potential to serve as a novel cell proliferation biomarker in OSCC and VC when compared to cyclin D1.

Focal cemento-osseous dysplasia.

Focal cemento-osseous dysplasia (FCOD) is a benign fibro-osseous lesion of bone characterized by the replacement of normal bone by fibrous tissue and subsequently followed by its calcification with osseous and cementum-like material. It is mostly asymptomatic in nature and requires no treatment. When secondarily infected, it becomes symptomatic and intervention is required. Here, we report a case of symptomatic FCOD of mandible in a 52-year-old female patient. Histopathological evaluation of the biopsy specimen by ground sections and decalcified sections aided in the final diagnosis of the case.

Cytological intracellular glycogen evaluation using PAS and PAS-D stains to correlate plasma glucose in diabetics.

BACKGROUND: Oral cytology studies have claimed that cytoplasmic Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) positivity in type-2 diabetics is due to glycogen content. But, it can also be due to mucin and glycoconjugates. AIM: 1. To confirm that cytoplasmic PAS positivity in type-2 diabetics is due to glycogen using diastase. 2. To know the effect of diabetes by determining the number of glycogen-containing cells in the smear. 3. To assess the impact of duration of diabetes based on PAS staining of cells. 4. To correlate between random blood glucose level and the number of PAS-positive cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study population comprised 45 individuals with 30 type-2 diabetics as case group (Group I < 5 years duration; Group II > 5 years duration) and 15 healthy volunteers (age and gender-matched) as control. For all subjects, random blood glucose was estimated and two cytosmears were obtained. The smears were stained with PAS and PAS-diastase stains (PAS-D). Staining intensity was documented as score 1 (mild-to-moderate) and score 2 (moderate-to-intense) and data obtained were statistically analyzed in SPSS version 16.0. RESULTS: Mann-Whitney U test revealed that in diabetics cytoplasmic PAS positivity is because of glycogen (P < 0.05). There is an increase in the number of glycogen-containing cells (P < 0.05) in diabetics. The duration of diabetes had less impact on intracellular glycogen accumulation (P > 0.05). Spearman's correlation test revealed no significant correlation (P > 0.05) between random blood glucose and a number of PAS-positive cells. CONCLUSION: PAS positivity is because of intracellular glycogen accumulation in type-2 diabetics. It can convey the glycaemic status of an individual in the recent past, thus a beneficial role in screening and therapeutic monitoring.

Palatal swelling in a young adult.

The presence of numerous minor salivary gland tissues in the posterior part of hard palate increases the possibility of salivary gland neoplasms. Minor salivary gland tumor accounts for about 15% of all the salivary gland neoplasms, of which mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) accounts for about 35.9%. Although a wide range of the differential diagnosis is made by the clinicians toward a single palatal swelling without any other specific changes on inspection, a prompt "histopathological" diagnosis is of utmost importance in case of lesions like "MEC." By taking the case study of a 23-year-old male patient who was complaining of difficulties in eating and speaking due to a swelling in the palate that was not associated with pain, etc., this case report highlights the need for an early clinical examination and prompt histopathological diagnosis of such clinically benign looking lesions, as such an action can play an ameliorating role in reducing the chances of postoperative morbidity.

Evaluation of salivary alkaline phosphatase levels in tobacco users to determine its role as a biomarker in oral potentially malignant disorders.

BACKGROUND: Elevated salivary alkaline phosphatase (S-ALP) levels have been observed in oral squamous cell carcinoma, but its status in tobacco users and in individuals with oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) is less explored. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aims and objectives were to estimate and compare the levels of S-ALP among tobacco users, nonusers and in individuals with OPMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population comprised 42 individuals, categorized into four groups with/without tobacco usage habit and with/without lesion. 5 ml of unstimulated saliva sample was collected, centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 15 min and supernatant separated. S-ALP was estimated in the supernatant by using kinetic photometric method in an automatic analyzer. RESULTS: Data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. The mean S-ALP was 18.00 IU/L for normal individuals without tobacco usage, 4.60 IU/L for smokers without lesion, 7.50 IU/L for tobacco chewers without any lesion and 64.90 IU/L for individuals with OPMD. The mean difference between the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001) using Kruskal-Wallis' ANOVA. No statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) was obtained in the S-ALP levels between tobacco users and nonusers and between smokers and tobacco chewers, using Mann-Whitney U-test. S-ALP levels in individuals with OPMD were statistically significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those without lesions, with or without tobacco usage habit, using Mann-Whitney U-test. CONCLUSION: We conclude that S-ALP could be used as a reliable noninvasive biomarker in monitoring OPMD.