Accuracy at radiography and probing for the diagnosis of proximal caries

In 63 teenagers the proximal surfaces of premolars to be extracted for orthodontic reasons and the adjacent surfaces of neighboring teeth, 598 surfaces in all, were examined radiographically and by probing. Direct inspection after extraction revealed that 51% of the surfaces had incipient carious lesions and 5% lesions with cavities. Of the surfaces with cavities 82.1% were correctly diagnosed radiographically if any radiolucency, regardless of its extent, was used as a diagnostic criterion. However, this yielded a false positive rate of 19.6%. If only radioluccncies extending at least into the inner third of the enamel were called positive the true positive rate was 36.7% and the associated false positive rate 1.6%. At a 5% cavity frequency the predictive positive values were 17% and 53%, respectively. Probing yielded a true positive rate of about 29% and a false positive rate of 1.1% with a predictive positive value of 50-57%. All radiolucencies extending into the dentin were associated with cavities. When the most liberal radiographic criterion was used 37.5% of all carious lesions, whether associated with a cavity or not, were detected and 3.8% of sound surfaces were falsely called carious. The corresponding predictive positive value at the actual rate of incipient lesions and lesions with cavities was 92.6%.     

Anterior open bite: the role of the infra-alveolae in its diagnosis and treatment

Anterior open-bites may be skeletal, alveolar or mixed. The infra-alveolae is always due to a postural or functional muscular cause and the clinical examination plays an important part in the diagnosis. Delaire's cephalometric analysis can define the type of infra-alveolae. In view of their aetiology, the infra-alveolae require functional re-education, although glossectomy and multiple bands therapy may also be useful.     

Cutaneous manifestations of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis

A rare case of cutaneous invasion of a malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis is described in a 86-year-old man. There was no anamnestic evidence of asbestos exposure.