Radiographic Orofacial Findings of Systemic Diseases.

This article discusses the orofacial clinicoradiographic features of systemic diseases that manifest in the orofacial region. The systemic diseases discussed are grouped into the following: autoimmune diseases, endocrine diseases, bone diseases, hematologic diseases, syndromes, and malignancies. The radiographic manifestation ranges from radiolucent bony destruction, increased bone density, calcification, thinning of cortical plate, loss of trabeculation, missing teeth, and supernumerary teeth. It is imperative for clinicians to be cognizant of these findings, as they may be the first manifestation of these systemic diseases.

A Patient Presents for Dental Extraction and Goes into Sickle Cell Crisis in the Dental Chair.

Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited autosomal recessive hemoglobinopathy associated with multiorgan damage. This single gene disorder involves one DNA base pair alteration, producing HbS. The sickle-shaped cells form when deoxygenated in the capillaries. The resulting RBC stasis leads to ischemia and pain, and acute and chronic organ damage. Patients with SCD presenting to a dental office need careful examination to rule out any current infections, neurologic deficits, or other organ involvement before formulating a dental treatment plan to avoid prolonged and complicated procedures. Early intervention and dental anxiety management are key to the dental treatment of patients with SCD.

Detection of medial arterial calcification on CBCT images of a patient with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus: a case report.

The finding of medial arterial calcification (MAC) on cone beam computed tomographic scans is more common than many clinicians realize. Medial arterial calcification is a specific pattern of vascular calcification that has been associated with diabetes mellitus. When MAC is identified on a scan, the clinician must refer the patient for evaluation of cardiovascular accident risk and for serologic evaluation to detect undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. This case report describes a patient with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus that was later confirmed by hemoglobin A1c levels after incidental detection of MAC on cone beam computed tomography. The article also reviews the literature on MAC and its relationship with diabetes and discusses radiographic features of MAC that are often unrecognized by clinicians.

Radiology of Dental Caries.

Dental caries is a dynamic, preventable, reversible, complex biofilm-mediated, multifactorial disease that involves a series of demineralization/neutrality/remineralization of dental hard tissue in primary and permanent dentition. An imbalance in the continuum with a net demineralization over time results in the initiation of caries lesions. Visual inspection and intraoral radiographs are vital in caries detection, although they are of suboptimal sensitivity for early caries lesions. Shifting toward a conservative, noninvasive approach to caries management has resulted in the development of innovative-sensitive technologies. These newer techniques may serve as adjunct for the dental practitioner in detecting earliest changes in tooth structure.

The Digital Clone: Intraoral Scanning, Face Scans and Cone Beam Computed Tomography Integration for Diagnosis and Treatment Planning.

The purpose of this article is to synthesize different technologies that are available for the creation of a virtual patient, "the digital clone" because the data can be used for diagnosis as well as treatment planning. The role of facial scans, 3-dimensional intraoral scans as well as the cone beam computed tomography in the creation of a digital clone is discussed in detail. A step-by-step guide is created for the reader for integration of the intraoral scan data with the cone beam computed tomography Dicom data to create a digital clone.

Comparison of photothermal radiometry and modulated luminescence, intraoral radiography, and cone beam computed tomography for detection of natural caries under restorations.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this ex vivo study was to measure the sensitivity, specificity, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) of a caries diagnostic system based on photothermal radiometry and modulated luminescence (PTR/LUM) and compare them with the values for digital intraoral radiography (IR) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in detecting recurrent decay. STUDY DESIGN: Class 2 composite restorations were prepared on 70 proximal surfaces: 35 with caries and 35 without caries. The gingival floor of the restored surfaces was assessed for caries under the restorations using each of the 3 modalities. Statistical calculations and analysis were performed using the R statistical computing environment. RESULTS: The average scores for sensitivity among the 6 observers were 0.89 for PTR/LUM, 0.38 for IR, and 0.40 for CBCT. Sensitivity for PTR/LUM was significantly greater than sensitivity for IR and CBCT. Average scores for specificity were 0.83, 0.80, and 0.70 for PTR/LUM, IR, and CBCT, respectively. CBCT had significantly lower specificity. The AUC was 0.65 for IR and 0.59 for CBCT, which were significantly different. PTR/LUM had moderate intraobserver agreement. CONCLUSIONS: PTR/LUM, which involves non-ionizing radiation, can serve as a sensitive adjunct in early caries detection and monitoring.