Mandibular tori are associated with mandibular bone quality: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Torus mandibularis (TM) is one of the most common oral exostoses. The presence of TMs has been correlated with high skeletal bone mineral density. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between TM and mandibular bone quality based on the measurement of mandibular cortical index (MCI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study was designed for patients who attended the Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology at the University of Hacettepe for routine dental examination. Patients with TMs were defined as cases, and those without TMs were defined as controls. The presence of tori was assessed by visual inspection and digital palpation. MCI assessments were done based on Klemetti's classification. The associations between the presence of TMs, MCI, and the parafunctional activity were assessed. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 80 subjects with TMs and 80 control subjects. The presence of TMs was strongly associated with the parafunctional activity (p = 0.036) and a non-eroded mandibular cortex (MCI C1, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Parafunctional activity may be a factor related to the formation or existence of TMs. The association between TMs and mandibular morphology may suggest that subjects with TMs may have a higher mandibular bone quality compared to those without TMs.

Comparing the accuracy of panoramic and intraoral radiography in the diagnosis of proximal caries.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of panoramic and intraoral radiographic surveys in the diagnosis of proximal caries according to the different dental regions (maxillary and mandibular incisor, canine, premolar and molar). METHODS: In this study, full mouth series and panoramic radiographs of 79 patients were used. The radiographs were evaluated for proximal caries by three observers. The diagnostic accuracy of radiographic surveys for each dental region was assessed by means of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: Full mouth series was the most efficient method in the diagnosis of caries for incisor and canine teeth. However, full mouth series and combination of panoramic plus bitewings had similar diagnostic accuracy for premolar and molar teeth. CONCLUSIONS: Panoramic survey alone was not sufficient for the diagnosis of proximal caries for the entire dentition. The combination of panoramic plus bitewing plus anterior periapical survey exhibited a diagnostic accuracy for proximal caries that was comparable with full mouth series.