Incidental findings in patients who underwent cone beam computed tomography for implant treatment planning.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to determine the type, frequency, and location of incidental findings in the maxillofacial region in patients undergoing cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan for implant treatment.[5]. METHODS: In this study, 300 patients who underwent CBCT imaging for implant treatment planning were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were evaluated in four different categories, namely, maxillary sinus pathologies, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) findings, dentoalveolar findings, and soft-tissue calcifications. In maxillary sinus pathologies, we categorized patients by mucosal thickening, polypoidal lesion, air-liquid level, total opacification, oroantral fistula, periapical lesion related with maxillary sinus, antrolith, hypoplasia, and foreign body presence. In the TMJ findings category, we evaluated patients for erosion, osteophyte, sclerosis, flattening, and bifid condyle. For dentoalveolar findings, we looked for the residual root and impacted tooth. In soft-tissue calcifications, we examined patients for tonsillolith, sialolith, lymph node calcification, styloid ligament calcification, carotid artery calcifications, and osteoma cutis. RESULTS: Mucosal thickening was mostly seen in maxillary sinus pathology. One hundred and forty-eight (49.3%) of the patients had at least one TMJ incidental finding. We detected at least one impacted tooth in 17 (5.7%) patients' maxilla and 14 (4.7%) patients' mandibles. The most frequently seen calcification was styloid ligament calcification. There was no statistically significant relationship between the age groups and incidental findings (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Oral radiologists should be aware of incidental findings and evaluate the possibilities of underlying diseases in a comprehensive way, and if there is a concern about the finding, they should refer the patient to the relevant specialist.

Investigation of prevalence of dental anomalies by using digital panoramic radiographs.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of all types and subtypes of dental anomalies among 6- to 40-year-old patients by using panoramic radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted by analysing digital panoramic radiographs of 1200 patients admitted to our clinic in 2014. Dental anomalies were examined under 5 types and 16 subtypes. Dental ano-malies were divided into 5 types: (a) number (including hypodontia, oligodontia and hyperdontia); (b) size (including microdontia and macrodontia); (c) structure (including amelogenesis imperfecta, dentinogenesis imperfecta and dentin dys-plasia); (d) position (including transposition, ectopia, displacement, impaction and inversion); (e) shape (including fusion-gemination, dilaceration and taurodontism). RESULTS: The prevalence of dental anomalies diagnosed by panoramic radiographs was 39.2% (46% in men and 54% in women). Anomalies of position (60.8%) and shape (27.8%) were the most common types of abnormalities and anomalies of size (8.2%), structure (0.2%) and number (17%) were the least in both genders. Anomalies of impaction (45.5%), dilacerations (16.3%), hypodontia (13.8%) and taurodontism (11.2%) were the most common subtypes of dental anomalies. Taurodontism was more common in the age groups of 13-19 years. The age range of the most frequent of all other anomalies was 20-29. CONCLUSIONS: Anomalies of tooth position were the most common type of dental anomalies and structure anomalies were the least common in this Turkish po-pulation. The frequency and type of dental anomalies vary within and between populations, confirming the role of racial factors in the prevalence of dental ano-malies. Digital panoramic radiography is a very useful method for the detection of dental anomalies. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 2: 323-328).

Ponticulus posticus in a cohort of orthodontic children and adolescent patients with different sagittal skeletal anomalies: a comparative cone beam computed tomography investigation.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of ponticulus posticus (PP) in groups with sagittal skeletal anomalies in a Turkish population using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 181 CBCT images were evaluated according to gender, side and characteristics of PP in the three different sagittal skeletal groups. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 13.88 ± 2.99 years (ranging 8-18 years). The study population consisted of 104 (57.5%) females and 77 (42.5%) males. PP was detected in 66 (36.5%) patients. Unilateral and bilateral PP was identified in 29 (43.9%) and 37 (56.1%) patients, respectively. The prevalence of PP in the atlas vertebrae was found to be higher in males than in females and this was statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05). PP was most frequently detected in class III patients (25, 13.8%). Statistically significant differences between the different sagittal skeletal groups were observed (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ponticulus posticus is a common anomaly in Turkish populations and is associated with different sagittal skeletal patterns. The highest frequency of PP was found in angle class III patients. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 65-71).