Skeletal open‐bite treatment with zygomatic anchorage for a child with mental retardation: A new modality

Anterior open bite (AOB) is one of the most difficult malocclusions to treat and maintain in orthodontics. Malocclusion occurs more frequently in children with disabilities than in healthy children. Surgical correction of severe AOB often requires maxillary impaction to reduce the anterior facial height. The zygomatic buttress area could be a valuable anchorage site to achieve intrusion of maxillary posterior teeth. A 16‐year‐old boy with mental retardation showing signs of persistence of infantile behavior, decreased cognitive functioning, and psychomotor skill deficits (no identified syndrome) with an AOB was treated by intrusion of maxillary posterior teeth using I‐shaped multipurpose titanium miniplate (SK Surgicals, India). A 7 mm AOB was corrected after 6 months of intrusion. The benefits of this treatment as an alternative to conventional orthodontic appliances are significant in subjects who lack the understanding or with manual dexterity to use an orthopedic appliance.     

Management of cervical root fracture injury in a patient with epilepsy: Case report with 5‐year follow‐up

The difficulty in providing stability to the coronal segment makes cervical root fracture one of the most challenging dental traumatic injury. This type of injury is less frequent in children. However, due to their serious consequences and poor prognosis, tooth loss may occur. This report presents the management of a case of cervical root fracture in an 11‐year‐old patient with epilepsy. The stabilization of the root‐fractured tooth with a splint failed due to the recurrent seizures the patient had. Coronal fragment was removed and vital root submergence was performed in order to support the alveolar growth. The natural tooth crown was incorporated into a modified Nance appliance to meet the esthetic and functional requirements of the patient. After 5‐year follow‐up, this treatment approach has seemed to offer a long‐term provisional and satisfactory solution to the consequences of a cervical root fracture injury.     

Caries experience in 15‐year‐old school children in Bangalore with inherited taste sensitivity levels to 6‐n‐propylthiouracil: an observational study

Aim: The relationship between sugar consumption and caries has been researched extensively for many years. The individual drive for the consumption of sweet food is controlled by a variety of biologic, psychologic, and sociologic factors. Sweet preference has been linked to bitter taste sensitivity to 6‐n‐propylthiouracil, a heritable trait. The present study investigates the association between inherited taste sensitivity to 6‐n‐popylthiouracil and dental caries experience in 15‐year‐old school children. Methods: Two hundred 15‐year‐old school children from randomly selected schools in Bangalore, India, participated in the study. Data were collected regarding demographic factors and socioeconomic status by personal interviews with the children. Sensitivity to 6‐n‐propylthiouracil was determined using Tepper filter paper method, and the responses were recorded on the labeled magnitude scale. Each child was examined thoroughly for oral hygiene status and caries experience. Appropriate statistical tests, such as chi‐squared test, Fisher’s exact test, and Kruskal–Wallis test, were used to analyze the data. Results: Non‐tasters were significantly associated with caries experience (P < 0.001). The decayed component in non‐tasters (3.43 ± 2.18) was statistically significant when compared to tasters (2.86 ± 1.58 medium tasters, 1.50 ± 0.55 supertasters). Conclusions: After all associated factors were controlled, 6‐n‐propylthiouracil taste status was the only independent variable significantly related to overall caries experience.