Age Estimation of Children and Young Adults of Jharkhand Using Mineralization of Third Molars and Its Relation to Chronological Age: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background Dental age estimation plays an enormous role in the determination of an individual's identity and age in forensic and anthropological fields. The estimation of the chronological age of the individual is also important in the diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment outcomes in the dental field. The third molar has some inimitable characteristics in terms of its size, shape, formation, and long path of eruption and usually erupts after puberty, which seems to be a reliable method of age estimation in adulthood. To establish the individual's identity, inference of age has gained considerable attention in forensics, and the aspect of dentistry has broadened nowadays. Thus the present study was conducted. Methodology The digital orthopantomograms of 720 patients who were exposed to X-rays for routine examination were assessed, and calcification of the tooth was observed. In order to ensure the blinding of the examiners, radiographs were numerically coded. Clinical stages of the tooth were categorised into erupted, pre-erupted, and missing. Statistical analysis was performed by IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), with a level of significance set below 5%. Results The age of the patients whose OPGs were assessed ranged from 6 to 22 years, with a mean age of 18.93±3.129 years. Among the 720 participants, 370 (51.4%) were male and 350 (48.6%) were female. When the clinical status of the third molar among all the participants was assessed, in 148 (20.6%) subjects, third molars had erupted; in 188 (26.1%) subjects, the third molars were in the pre-erupted stage; and in 384 (53.30%), third molars were missing. When comparing the clinical status of the third molar in both arches and between genders, it was found that missing molars were common in females and the mandible arch, with statistically significant p-values. A comparison of Demirjian's stages between genders showed that the mean age to attain stage H was 21.37±0.774 years among males and 21.69±0.616 years among females. This means that the calcification of third-molar attainment occurs earlier in males compared with females. In a similar comparison between the upper and lower arches, it was found that calcification of the third molar was attained earlier in the maxillary arch compared to the mandibular arch. Conclusion It was concluded that the third molar is a versatile tooth and its path of mineralization can be used in orthodontics, pedodontics, and forensics to estimate chronological age, and chronological age significantly follows Demirjian's stages of third molar calcification. Third molar calcification occurred earlier in the maxillary arch and males, whereas several impacted molars were higher in females.

Molecular characterization of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from patients with gastroenteritis in a tertiary referral hospital of northeast India.

PURPOSE: Diarrhoeal illness accounts for a high morbidity and mortality both in paediatric as well as adult groups and diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli occupies a top position as a causative agent of infectious diarrhoeal illness worldwide. The aim of the current investigation was to determine the virulence and pattern of antibiotic resistance of enteropathogenic, enterotoxigenic, and shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli that are linked to diarrhoea in patients of both adult and paediatric age groups. METHODS: A total of 50 consecutive, nonduplicate Escherichia coli isolates were collected from patients with gastro-enteritis who were admitted to different clinical wards Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, India. PCR was used to identify the virulence genes of EPEC (eaeA and bfpA), STEC (stx1, stx2, and eae) and ETEC (eltA, eltB, estA1 and estA2) in the isolates of E. coli. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of virulent E. coli isolates were checked using disc diffusion method. Molecular typing of the virulent E. coli detected in the study based on enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) was also done. RESULT: Out of 50 E. coli isolates, 13 (26%) were found to carry atleast one virulence gene. 11 isolates harboured eae gene and were characterized as EPEC and two isolates carried stx1 gene of STEC. These virulent isolates showed different antibiotic susceptibility pattern and harboured single or multiple antibiotic resistance genes. ERIC PCR established 12 different clonal patterns of the virulent study isolates of E. coli harbouring. CONCLUSION: EPEC pathotypes were found to be the most detected pathotype in the stool samples. Majority of the virulent isolates were also resistant to multiple antibiotics which is a serious public health concern and therefore requires a proper surveillance and studies to track their reservoirs to contain their spread.

Comparative Evaluation of Low-level Diode Laser and Electrosurgical Pulpotomy in Primary Molars.

Aim: Considering the advantages of the nonpharmacotherapeutic techniques over the disadvantages of the pharmacotherapeutic agents, there is a need to evaluate clinically as well as radiographically various nonpharmacotherapeutic techniques to fortify them as replacements to the traditional pulpotomy. This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of low-level diode laser (LLDL) and electrosurgical pulpotomy in primary molars. Materials and methods: Seventy primary molars were allocated to group I (n = 35) and group II (n = 35), which underwent LLDL pulpotomy and electrosurgical pulpotomy, respectively. Clinical and radiographic analysis of all the teeth in the two groups was performed at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, respectively. Pearson's Chi-squared test was utilized to evaluate the success of both treatment procedures (p < 0.05). Results: During the 12-month follow-up period, the differences between the groups pertaining to clinical and radiographical evaluation were statistically nonsignificant, although enhanced results were seen in the laser pulpotomy group. There was no significant difference in the success rate observed between the LLDL pulpotomy and electrosurgical pulpotomy group at the end of the 12-month follow-up period. Conclusion: The two pulpotomy techniques were found to be successful enough in strengthening the concept of a potent and safe nonpharmacotherapeutic approach in the management of pulpally involved primary molars. Clinical significance: This study further establishes nonpharmacological pulpotomy techniques as a favorable alternative to traditional pulpotomy methods. How to cite this article: Roy S, Garg N, Pathivada L, et al. Comparative Evaluation of Low-level Diode Laser and Electrosurgical Pulpotomy in Primary Molars. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(4):612-618.