Caries experience in primary molars and its impact on the variability in permanent tooth emergence sequences

Correlations between Chronological Ages and Dental Ages on a Group of Children with Down Syndrome

Background: The number of studies on oral complications in children with Down syndrome is substantial, but they are focused rather on the prevalence of dental caries, periodontal disease, and hypodontia. The relationship between Down syndrome and dental eruption has been rarely approached. The causes of delayed eruption in children with Down syndrome are incompletely elucidated due to the incomplete identification of the factors that intervene in the physiological process of dental eruption.

Aim of the study: To evaluate the correlation between Down syndrome and the delayed eruption of permanent teeth, in relation to the chronological age, in this category of patients.

Material and methods: The study group included 94 children with mixed dentition, of ages between 6 and 12 years: 36 children with Down syndrome and 58 healthy children. Clinical and radiological examinations were performed, focusing on the relation between dental age and chronological age.

Results: The presence of Down syndrome in children has a significant influence (p <0.001) on the delayed eruption of permanent teeth, considering the chronological age, compared to healthy children. The weighted average of this delay in our study group was 1.27.

Conclusions: It is necessary to monitor children with Down syndrome for an extended period of time, in order to ensure a high quality of life and to optimize their health as much as possible.

Sociodemographic conditions, knowledge of dental diseases, dental care, and dietary habits

OBJECTIVES

This study's aim was to present data on the sociodemographic conditions, knowledge of dental diseases, dental care, and dietary habits among children aged 3, 5, 10, and 15 years in Da Nang, Vietnam.

METHODS

A cross-sectional epidemiological questionnaire study was conducted in a population of 840 children randomly selected by their year and month of birth (January to July), including 210 individuals in each age group. A self-reported questionnaire was completed by the parents of 3- and 5-year-olds, and a modified questionnaire was given to 10- and 15-year-olds to complete by themselves.

RESULTS

Mass media constituted the main source of oral healthcare information. Parents assisted with tooth brushing in 86 percent of 3-year-olds and 71 percent of 5-year-olds. Fluoride toothpaste was used by 44-78 percent of children, with no clear age-related trend. Within the past year, 60 percent of 3- and 5-year-olds, 20 percent of 10-year-olds, and 49 percent of 15-year-olds reported they had not visited a dental professional. Sweets were consumed between principal meals by 70-80 percent of children. Milk with sugar was regularly consumed by 71 percent of 3-year-olds and 91 percent of 5-year-olds.

CONCLUSIONS

Children showed frequent sugar consumption and insufficient frequency of brushing their teeth with fluoride toothpaste. Food-based dietary guidelines should play a significant role in nutrition and oral health. It is especially important that oral health prevention programs reach preschool children before they establish unhealthy dietary habits. Parental education about oral health and access to oral healthcare services are also needed to improve children's oral health.

Oral health research: A source for innovative new statistical developments

This article reviews the challenges and opportunities that oral health research may offer to a statistician. To illustrate this, we focus on the Signal Tandmobiel® study, a longitudinal oral health survey that triggered many statistical explorations and developments over the last two decades. For example, non-standard distributions are more the rule than the exception in oral health research. In addition, often measurement error problems need to be addressed. The hierarchical structure of the oral health data also poses non-standard challenges. For instance, caries experience in the mouth is spatially correlated with, however, a specific metric defining the distance between two occurrences. In addition, since caries experience in the context of an epidemiological study is only measured at intervals, analysis of survival involves interval-censoring. Finally, when analyzing a realistic data set in oral health, all the above issues may have to be dealt with simultaneously.

Human dental age estimation by calculation of pulp-tooth volume ratios yielded on clinically acquired cone beam computed tomography images of monoradicular teeth

Secondary dentine is responsible for a decrease in the volume of the dental pulp cavity with aging. The aim of this study is to evaluate a human dental age estimation method based on the ratio between the volume of the pulp and the volume of its corresponding tooth, calculated on clinically taken cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images from monoradicular teeth. On the 3D images of 111 clinically obtained CBCT images (Scanora(®) 3D dental cone beam unit) of 57 female and 54 male patients ranging in age between 10 and 65 years, the pulp-tooth volume ratio of 64 incisors, 32 canines, and 15 premolars was calculated with Simplant(®) Pro software. A linear regression model was fit with age as dependent variable and ratio as predictor, allowing for interactions of specific gender or tooth type. The obtained pulp-tooth volume ratios were the strongest related to age on incisors.