Background and Aim: The mandibular canal and mental foramen are two important anatomic landmarks that should be noted before dental surgeries in the posterior region of the mandible. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of digital panoramic images in visualizing the mandibular canal and mental foramen. The horizontal location of mental foramen among Iranians was also investigated. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 150 digital panoramic images acquired from the radiology database at the Dental Faculty of Hamedan University of Medical Sciences were analyzed. All the panoramic radiographs were shot by a digital panoramic machine, CRANEX ^® Tome Ceph (Soredex, Helsinki, Finland), considering standard exposure parameters. The visibility of mandibular canal and mental foramen and the horizontal location of mental foramen were assessed by three examiners independently. Results: The visibility of mandibular canal and mental foramen on both left and right sides was 96.6% and 79.7%, respectively. The most frequent horizontal position of mental foramen was in line with the second premolar on the right (48%) and left (51.3%) sides, followed by the area between the first and second premolar. The mean distance between two mental foramina was 49.23 mm and 46.89 mm in males and females, respectively. Conclusion: Although panoramic images showed a satisfactory accuracy in identifying mandibular canal and mental foramen, caution should be taken, especially when identifying mental foramen.

Background: The marginal bone loss (MBL) around implants following restoration is used as a reference for evaluating implant success and survival. The aim of this study was to measure MBL around Straumann implants after 1 year of loading. Materials and Methods: The subjects of this prospective cross-sectional study were 81 patients (46 men, 35 women) receiving 289 Straumann implants. They were treated at a private office in Isfahan. The MBL was measured by two panoramic radiographs: the first one was taken immediately after loading and the second one was taken 1 year later. The data were analyzed by SPSS 11.5 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) software. Paired samples t-test and independent samples t-test were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean distal, mesial, and overall bone losses around implants were calculated 0.598, 0.688, and 0.643 mm, respectively (P > 0.157). Conclusion: This study has shown no significant differences of MBL regarding implant sides (mesial and distal) and location (maxilla and mandible).

Aim: The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the cognitive level of a child affects the preference of isolation methods commonly employed in pediatric dentistry. Materials and Methods: Children from 4 to 16 years with no previous dental experience were recruited. Based on Piaget's stages of cognitive development, they were divided into three age groups, namely, Group I: 2-7 years, Group II: 7-11 years, and Group III: >11 years. Three videos demonstrating operative procedures performed under one of the isolation methods (1) rubber dam, (2) cotton rolls, and (3) saliva ejector were displayed and asked about their preference. The data were tabulated and statistically analyzed using Chi-square test for the difference in their preferences based on cognitive level of children. Results: A total of 360 children participated in the survey. Both 8-11 years and >11 years age group children preferred saliva ejector while 2-7 years group preferred rubber dam. Statistically, significant difference was observed (P < 0.001) among different age groups. No significant difference was observed between boys and girls regarding the preference to isolation techniques (P = 0.821). Most of the children preferred saliva ejector (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Children's perceptions and preferences are strongly influenced by the level of their cognitive development with children age 2-7 years preferred rubber dam whereas other age groups preferred saliva ejector.

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the learning preferences of dental students and to compare it between preclinical and clinical dental students in Chennai. Introduction: Educators of health-care profession are responsible for the quality of future health-care providers, but they may face a greater challenge in transmission of their knowledge to the students. This study was conducted to match the teaching and learning methods to make the learning easier. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2016 among 310 dental students in Chennai to determine their preferences of learning styles using Visual, Aural, Read-write, and Kinesthetic questionnaire. Results: Majority of the students (86%) preferred multimodal learning style. Auditory and kinesthetic methods were most preferred unimodal learning style among preclinical and clinical students, respectively. Auditory and kinesthetic methods were dominant even in bimodal and trimodal preference of learning style. Conclusion: As the majority of the dental students preferred multimodal learning style, a variety of teaching methods should be included in the curriculum according to the students' preferences.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices that convert nicotine into a vapor which can be inhaled. The vapors from e-cigarettes are complex mixtures of chemicals, not pure nicotine. It is unknown whether inhalation of the complex mixture of chemicals found in e-cigarette vapors is safe. Worldwide use of electronic cigarettes has increased significantly over recent years but varies markedly between countries. The legal status of e-cigarettes is pending in most of the countries which are the need of the hour. The efficacy and effectiveness of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation or reducing the tobacco use are not established. The following review discusses the current data regarding e-cigarette, prevalence of e-cigarette, legislation of e-cigarettes, issues concerned with the use of the e-cigarette, and finally, the dentists being the health caregivers should be prepared to answer the patients' questions about the advisability of using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation device.

Dental caries is a multifactorial disease and is the major health concern across the world. The etiology of dental caries includes a combination of fermentable dietary carbohydrate, cariogenic microorganisms, host factor, and time. Caries is preventable until cavitation or breakdown of organic template with the help of different remineralizing agents. This is the noninvasive treatment of incipient carious lesions. The objective of this paper is to review different remineralizing agents that can be used in incipient non cavitated carious lesions to prevent cavitation.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent malignant cancer in the oral cavity. Despite considerable advances in diagnostic and therapeutic field, its prognosis remains poor. Grading by histopathological features does not influence prognosis until deeply invasive margins are evaluated by pathologists. The most invasive part of malignant tumor reflects disturbance in molecular mechanism, alteration in gene expression that controls cell differentiation, growth, death (apoptosis) as well as interactions between cancer cells and stromal components that may lead to the formation of oncofetal extracellular matrix, enabling tumor cell phenotype transition and migration. In recent years, analysis of cell proliferation, DNA content, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenomenon has been used in an attempt to identify new prognostic indicators. Great interest is also shown in matrix metalloproteinase which plays a key role in invasion and metastasis. This review focuses on altered pathways in OSCC at gene expression and protein level, role of proteinases and EMT phenomenon in tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis with respect to invasive tumor front.

Cryosurgery is the application of cold to the diseased tissue and their destruction. It is an economical and safe method used for the treatment of mucosal lesions. It is well tolerated by patients of all age groups. This paper presents a review on the mechanism of cell death following cryosurgery and its implications in oral mucosal lesions.

Actinomycosis is a rare infection caused by filamentous Actinomyces, which form club-shaped filaments arranged in a radiating pattern and rarely infects jawbone. Due to its nonspecificity from its clinical features, it has been considered as a challenging diagnosis. This case report describes a case of periapical cyst which was diagnosed as actinomycosis based on histopathological examination. Periapical actinomycosis is one of the most important reasons for the failure of nonsurgical treatment. Clinically, if the periapical lesion is largely associated with weeping canals, surgical debridement of granulation tissue is mandatory. In this case, surgical intervention and adjunctive platelet rich fibrin with osseograft provided successful healing.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is typically associated with a lymphocytic, and plasmacytic infiltrate in the salivary, parotid, and lacrimal glands, leading to a sicca syndrome. This immune process can also affect nonexocrine organs, including the kidneys, producing an interstitial nephritis and defects in tubular function. Renal tubular acidosis develops in a large population of patients with SS, but most of the subjects are asymptomatic. In rare cases, hypokalemic paralysis becomes the primary presenting symptom. In this article, we report such a patient with acute paresis of skeletal muscles later diagnosed to be SS.

Gingival recession caused due to periodontal disease disturbs patients because of sensitivity and esthetics. Gingival epithesis may be fixed or removable and can be made from silicones, acrylics, composite resins, or ceramics according to what is best suited for the case. The gingival epithesis is esthetically appealing and easy to maintain. This case report describes the fabrication and using of a gingival epithesis as a treatment modality to recreate the lost soft tissue esthetics.

The peripheral giant cell granuloma (PGCG) is a relatively common tumor-like growth of the oral cavity. It is also known as giant cell epulis. PGCG is an oral, nonneoplastic, tumor-like growth that occurs exclusively on the gingiva and the alveolar mucosa. It affects both sexes, with a slight predilection for females, especially after puberty. It is not a true neoplasm but rather benign hyperplasic lesion. It is probably caused by local irritation or trauma which resulted in gingival or mucosal hemorrhage.

Achondroplasia is of clinical interest in dental practice because of its distinctive craniofacial features, which include relative macrocephaly, a short posterior cranial base, depressed nasal bridge, and maxillary hypoplasia. Treatment planning for such patients is often considered challenging as the presence of a large head, implanted shunt, airway obstruction, and difficulty in head control require special precautions during dental management. The present article reports the craniofacial manifestations of a 14-year-old male patient having achondroplasia, considerations taken in his dental management and the management done.