ABSTRACT
AIM: The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the prevalence of hypodontia and to ascertain the need of interdisciplinary treatment for ensuing esthetic and functional problems in a target population of Al-Jouf Province, Saudi Arabia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Using a dental administration software tool, a total of 1267 patients who presented to the outpatient clinics of the Orthodontic and Prosthodontic Departments between March 2015 and January 2016 were identified. Of those, 694 were females and 573 were males. All permanent teeth were investigated, except third molars. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypodontia was 6.1%. The difference between genders was not statistically significant (P = 0.597) although female hypodontia prevalence was higher than males (6.6% and 5.5%, respectively). The majority of patients had one or two missing teeth. There were no significant differences between right and left sides for any particular tooth. The most commonly missing teeth were mandibular second premolar (40.1%), followed by the maxillary lateral incisor (20.4%) and then the maxillary second premolars (12.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hypodontia in Al-Jouf Province, Saudi Arabia, was within the average values portrayed in the majority of the published literature. The majority of affected individuals had one or two missing teeth. None of the patients examined had more than four missing teeth. There were no significant differences in the distribution of hypodontia between the affected jaws according to gender. Although less prevalent, considerable cases of bilateral missing teeth were found in the present study which necessitates the need for urgent interdisciplinary intervention and management.
ABSTRACT
For the better part of the past 20 years, dentistry has seen the development of many new all-ceramic materials and restorative techniques fueled by the desire to capture the ever elusive esthetic perfection. This has resulted in the fusion of the latest in material science and the pen ultimate in computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology. This case report describes the procedure for restoring the esthetic appearance of both the left and right maxillary peg-shaped lateral incisors with a metal-free sintered finely structured feldspar ceramic material using the latest laboratory CAD/CAM system. The use of CAD/CAM technology makes it possible to produce restorations faster with precision- fit and good esthetics overcoming the errors associated with traditional ceramo-metal technology. The incorporation of this treatment modality would mean that the dentist working procedures will have to be adapted in the methods of CAD/CAM technology.
ABSTRACT
Atrophic rhinitis is a chronic nasal disease characterized by progressive atrophy of the nasal mucosa accompanied by the formation of foul-smelling thick, dry crusts in the nasal cavities. Mild conditions of atrophic rhinitis can be treated by nasal irrigations and prescription of intravenous or topical aminoglycosides. In severe conditions, surgery can close the airways. The problem can also be managed by prosthodontic measures which include the fabrication of a poly methyl methacrylate acrylic resin nasal stents. This article describes a new procedure for fabricating a clear acrylic nasal stent with an alternative laboratory technique using small cylinders of soft putty as spacers for maintaining a 3-mm restricted nasal airway during processing.
