New systems for dental maturity based on seven and four teeth

An updated system for estimating dental maturity is presented. It extends the original system (Demirjian et al., 1973) based on radiographs of 7 teeth by including two extra stages, and by enlarging the standardizing sample to include 2407 boys and 2349 girls. Percentile standards from ages 2·5 to 17·0 years are presented separately for boys and girls.

Scoring systems and percentile standards are presented for two different sets of 4 teeth and a comparison of all three systems is made. It is suggested that these systems may measure somewhat different aspects of dental maturity.     

Heparin-induced antiheparin-platelet antibody associated with retinal venous thrombosis

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of a 33-year-old white woman in whom retinal venous thromboses developed secondary to heparin-induced antiheparin-platelet antibodies. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: The patient underwent complete ophthalmic and medical examinations. Laser Doppler measurement of retinal blood circulation also was performed. INTERVENTION: Prolonged anticoagulation with thrombin inhibitors and warfarin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual symptoms, retinal appearance on clinical examination, and measurement of retinal blood flow by laser Doppler technique. RESULTS: The patient experienced a scotoma in the visual field of the left eye, left retinal venous thrombosis, decreased venous blood flow in the left eye, and heparin-induced antiheparin-platelet antibodies in serum. After intervention, the visual symptoms and retinal appearance improved, and retinal blood flow normalized. CONCLUSIONS: Heparin-induced antiheparin-platelet antibody can lead to thrombosis of the ocular circulation. This index case, which is the first one ever reported in association with antiheparin-platelet antibodies, further illustrates the potential side effects of heparin and widens the spectrum of complications of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and HIT thrombosis syndrome (HITTS).     

Incremental growth charts for condylar growth between 6 and 16 years of age.

This study provides sex specific reference data for the incremental growth of the mandibular condyle. The results pertain to a mixed-longitudinal sample of 113 males and 108 females followed annually between 6 and 16 years of age (total of 1647 observations). Growth of condylion was evaluated using naturally stable mandibular reference structures. The mean growth curves were estimated by multilevel models using iterative least squares procedures; between subject variation was estimated based on the sample's percentile distributions. Mean yearly velocities of condylar growth for males ranged between 2.1 and 3.1 mm/year. Growth rates decreased during childhood, increased during adolescence, and attained a maximum of 3.1 mm/year at approximately 14.3 years of age. Females showed a more constant rate of condylar growth during childhood (2.0-2.7 mm/year), a smaller adolescent peak (2.3 mm/year) at approximately 12.2 years and rapid deceleration after the peak. These reference data offer orthodontists an objective means of evaluating growth potential and treatment outcome in individual patients. Charts are provided for evaluating condylar growth of individual patients.