ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: Foreign bodies may present to the general dental practitioner, either as a cause of complaint or, more commonly, as an incidental finding during routine examination. This article describes an unusual case where a rhinolith perforated the hard palate to appear in the mouth as an erupting tooth. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: It is useful for the general dental practitioner to be aware of the existence of foreign bodies, their sequelae and management.
Subject(s)
Catheters, Indwelling/adverse effects , Foreign Bodies/diagnosis , Nose , Palate, Hard/surgery , Tooth Eruption, Ectopic/diagnosis , Adult , Diagnosis, Differential , Drainage , Foreign Bodies/etiology , Foreign Bodies/surgery , Humans , Male , Nasal Obstruction/etiology , Paranasal Sinus Diseases/surgery , Paranasal Sinus Diseases/therapy , Paranasal Sinuses/surgeryABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: Improvements in ultrasound (US) resolution have led to the application of this non-ionizing imaging modality in the diagnosis of soft tissue disorders affecting the head and neck region. Although operator experience is paramount in image interpretation, US has the advantage of being inexpensive, safe and widely available. Ultrasound is the first line imaging modality for suspected salivary gland tumours and is useful in evaluating superficial neck swellings, such as lymph node disease, soft tissue cysts and vascular malformations. Ultrasound also improves the success rate when used for guidance during fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This paper aims to provide the general practitioner with an overview of the basic principles of image formation, the advantages and disadvantages of US, and an outline of its indications for conditions that might present to the dental practitioner.
Subject(s)
Head/diagnostic imaging , Neck/diagnostic imaging , Biopsy, Fine-Needle , Cysts/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Lymphatic Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Salivary Gland Calculi/diagnostic imaging , Salivary Gland Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Sialadenitis/diagnostic imaging , Sjogren's Syndrome/diagnostic imaging , Thyroid Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography, Interventional , Vascular Malformations/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Rectangular collimation is recommended in order to reduce radiation doses to patients. However, anecdotal reports suggest that it may result in more retakes, with a possible net increase in patient dosage. METHOD: To test this hypothesis, eight general dental practitioners were recruited to participate in a project. Each took 25 pairs of bitewing radiographs of patients before and 25 after fitting rectangular collimators to their x-ray machines. Double-pack films were used so that duplicates could be examined. These were assessed by a consultant oral radiologist according to the National Radiographic Protection Board (NRPB) grading system for positioning and general film quality. RESULTS: Initially, positioning quality was above the target level for six of the eight dentists; however, for all but one, this dropped after using rectangular collimation. General film quality was of a lower overall standard initially. Using rectangular collimation had an effect on general film quality but the direction and size of this varied among the dentists. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that amongst the participating dentists, although numbers of retakes increased by 7%, there would be a net reduction in dosage to patients following rectangular collimation.
