Dental Eruption Research Articles

Influence of BMI percentile on craniofacial morphology and development in children and adolescents.

The prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity is increasing worldwide. Reports suggest that elevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with larger craniofacial dimensions and advanced dental and skeletal development. Such an association is important for timing orthodontic treatment relative to pubertal growth and dental eruption. To evaluate associations between BMI, craniofacial morphology, dental age, and cervical vertebrae maturation staging (CVMS), 400 participants were consecutively selected (8-15 years, n = 200 overweight and obese BMI >85%, 200 normal weight) from the University of North Carolina database. Records were analysed for cephalometric measures, Demirjian index values, and CVMS. Bivariate statistics and linear regression analysis evaluated whether CVMS, dental age, and cephalometric dimensions varied with BMI. Overweight/obese children and adolescents had a proportionally larger bimaxillary prognathic skeletal pattern compared to those of normal weight. These cephalometric measurements [articulare-gnathion (Ar-Gn), condylion-anterior nasal spine (Co-ANS), sella-gonion (S-Go), nasion-menton (N-Me), anterior nasal spine-menton (ANS-Me), sella-nasion-A point (SNA), sella-nasion-B point (SNB), and sella-nasion-pogonion (SNPg)] were significantly different [statistically (P < 0.05) and clinically (>2 mm or >2 degrees)] between the two study groups, with a linear relationship between BMI percentile and craniofacial dimension. The overweight/obese BMI group had a mean dental age 1.4 years advanced relative to the normal weight group (P < 0.05), with an advancement of nearly one CVM stage between the ages of 12 and 14 (P < 0.05). The study is retrospective. Obese/overweight children and adolescents have proportionally larger antero-posterior and vertical dimensions and are more likely to experience advanced dental and skeletal maturation. Obese/overweight subjects may enter their growth spurt at a younger age and have earlier eruption of teeth, affecting treatment timing. BMI percentile should be a consideration for orthodontic treatment in growing patients.

Age estimation of archaeological dogs using pulp cavity closure ratios

This study describes a non-destructive method that can be used to estimate the age of archaeological dog remains involving tooth pulp cavity closure ratios. This technique was first developed in wildlife management and zoology for wild carnivores. For the first time, we develop this technique for dogs by utilizing a modern sample of 751 teeth roots from 106 animals with known life histories. The method involves measuring widths of teeth roots and their pulp cavities by means of X-ray images, and then calculating the ratios of pulp cavity infilling for each tooth. The method is developed for upper and lower canines and the distal and mesial roots of the mandibular M1. Our assessments demonstrate that upper and lower canines are most strongly correlated with age, followed by the mesial and distal roots of the mandibular M1. The method is useful for assigning specimens to relative age categories, and proved most reliable with younger individuals. We illustrate the applicability of the method by analyzing 369 teeth roots from 77 archaeological dogs from the Iron Age Ust’-Polui site in Arctic Siberia. Previously, ageing of the dog remains at this site involved only assessments of dental eruption patterns and long bone epiphysis fusion. The overall age estimation results from Ust’-Polui produced a mortuary profile dominated by juveniles and prime age adults, suggesting a regional preference for dogs of these age groups in sacrifices.

Seasonality of the Final Natufian occupation at Eynan/Ain Mallaha (Israel): an approach combining dental ageing, mesowear and microwear

The Final Natufian level Ib from Eynan/Ain Mallaha provided a large and diversified assemblage of ungulates used here to study the seasonality of game procurement. The objective of this study was to evaluate the advantage of combining two methods, dental eruption and wear, and tooth microwear. Tooth microwear results allowed us to confirm the seasonality of procurement of red and roe deer and to narrow down its duration for the gazelle and the fallow deer. Game procurement occurred throughout the year for the roe deer. Red deer were hunted in spring and summer, and gazelle in late autumn–early winter. This approach allowed us to improve the accuracy of seasonality estimates and to increase sample size by using the entire population (young and adult individuals) for each species. The few individuals that were analysed with the two methods also permitted us to characterize the diet of the population at the time of death.

SURGICAL TREATMENT OF MAXILLARY JUVENILE OSSIFYING FIBROMA: A CASE REPORT

Juvenile ossifying fibroma (JOF) is a fibro-osseous lesion considered as a true neoplasm, being distinguished from the group of ossifying fibromas due to age, area of involvement, and clinical behavior. An 18-year-old male patient complained of a “lump in the face” with approximately 5 years’ of evolution. On physical examination, a hardened volume increase, asymptomatic, was observed with delayed dental eruption in the right hemimaxilla. Tomographic examination revealed a hypodense, circumscribed image with hyperdense foci characteristic of fibro-osseous lesion, with histopathologic result of JOF, after incisional biopsy. We performed surgical treatment by enucleation, curettage, and peripheral osteotomy. Although cases present more aggressive behavior and recurrence rates about 30% to 58%, each case should be evaluated individually to avoid mutilations that are often unnecessary. The circumscribed nature of the lesion allows for enucleation with relative facility. No clinical-radiographic signs of relapse have been observed after 7 months’ of follow-up.

Coming of age: morphometric variation in the hand skeletons of juvenile and adult Lesser Treeshrews (Scandentia: Tupaiidae: Tupaia minor Günther, 1876)

AbstractMorphometric analyses of the manus skeleton have proven useful in understanding species limits and morphological divergence among tupaiid treeshrews (Scandentia: Tupaiidae). Specimens in these studies are typically limited to mature individuals with fully erupted permanent dentition, which eliminates potentially confounding variation attributable to age, but also can exclude rare taxa and small island populations that are poorly represented in systematic collections. To determine the real limits associated with including immature animals in such studies, we used multivariate analyses to study sexual and age variation of the manus skeleton in two allopatric populations of the Lesser Treeshrew (Tupaia minor Günther, 1876) from the Malay Peninsula and from Borneo that we treated as separate samples. Individuals were aged using dental eruption of the permanent dentition. We also recorded the degree of epiphyseal fusion of the bones of the manus based on x-rays of study skins. We then tested our ability to distinguish the two populations using a series of discriminant function analyses of hand measurements from samples that included varying proportions of immature individuals and adults. We found no evidence of sexual dimorphism in hand proportions, permitting us to combine females and males in our samples. Epiphyseal fusion of the metacarpals and phalanges typically occurs by the time the third molars have completely erupted, and fusion of the distal epiphyses of the radius and ulna typically occurs by the time the permanent fourth premolars are in place. There is occasional asynchrony between dental age and epiphyseal fusion. In both populations, the hands of most infants and subadults provide morphometric values within the range of variation of adults, although they are typically distributed in the lower part of the adult range and have the potential to bias the sample toward lower mean size. The inclusion of infants and subadults when attempting to discriminate between two taxa generally results in lower rates of correct classifications, although the rates increase as the sample of immature individuals is limited to older subadults. As a general rule, we recommend that specimens of infants and subadults continue to be excluded from analyses when exploring taxonomic boundaries among treeshrews. In cases of extremely small sample sizes of adults, however, older subadults—in which the permanent third premolars are erupting or in place—can be used with appropriate caution.

Post-mortem dental profiling in Palu earthquake and tsunami victims—procedures and limitations

ABSTRACT On 28 September 2018, an earthquake hit Central Celebes, triggering a tsunami, liquefaction and a landslide. There were approximately 2,256 victims and 1,309 people remain missing. The dry tropical climate combined with seawater exposure made bodies enter a putrefaction state rapidly, and visual identification was not possible. Obtaining any dental antemortem data was almost impossible due to the flood and earthquake destroying most of the healthcare building. Hence, a dental profiling procedure was conducted. Dental charting and age estimation were carried out and photographs were taken. Dental charting and photographs were done in line with the Interpol guide’s standards. Performing a multiple dental age estimation method was not feasible. Clinical age estimation methods were mandatory due to their reliability and short time consumption for Palu victim identification. In children and sub-adult dental age estimation, gingival and alveolar clinical eruption helped to determine their approximate dental age. In adults, root translucency was measured using the American Board of Forensic Odontologists’ (ABFO) No. 2 scale with the Bang and Ramm (1970) method. Dental age estimation with multiple measurement parameters or radiographs was not preferable during this mass disaster due to their time consumption and the overwhelming number of dead bodies.

CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY PRESENTATION OF CASES WITH PRE-ERUPTIVE INTRACORONAL RESORPTION: A CASE SERIES AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

<h3>Background</h3> Pre-eruptive intracoronal resorption (PEIR) is a rare condition, characterized by the existence of a radiographic radiolucent area inside the coronal dentin before dental eruption. The etiology for PEIR is unknown. However, the following conditions are the proposed etiology for PEIR: being resorptive in nature, local inflammation, ectopic positioning of teeth or teeth with abnormal contact, dental development defects, systemic conditions (herpes <b>z</b>oster infection). <h3>Objective</h3> This report presents the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 3 cases with PEIR and describes the pattern of resorptive defects in these cases. <h3>Materials and Methods/Clinical and Radiographic Findings</h3> Cases 1 and 2: A 66-year-old female and a 54-year-old male presented for implant evaluation. CBCT images of the first case showed a radiolucent intracoronal area involving an impacted tooth #16, which encroached on the pulp chamber. CBCT images of the second case showed the same radiographic appearance involving the unerupted tooth #1. Case 3: A 64-year-old male came for evaluation of the airway. CBCT images revealed an intracoronal radiolucent area involving the impacted tooth #17 with an intact pulp. The involved tooth was asymptomatic in all cases, and no history of trauma was reported by patients. <h3>Results/Differential or Definitive Interpretation:</h3> On the basis of radiographic presentations and clinical findings, pre-eruptive intracoronal resorption was considered the most likely diagnosis. The management of such lesion ranges from no treatment to surgery, surgical exposure, tooth extraction. The prevalence of PEIR reported on panoramic images in a previous study for both the subject and the tooth were 1.55% to 27.3 % and 0.5% to 2.1%, respectively. The prevalence of PEIR as shown by CBCT in the previous study were 9.5% to 15.1% for subject prevalence and 1.93% to 3.5% for tooth prevalence. The previous study showed that a single tooth was usually affected with PEIR in an individual and that the most commonly affected teeth were the premolars and the molars. <h3>Discussion</h3> PEIR affects the coronal dentin of unerupted teeth. The etiology for PEIR is unknown, and it may be commonly misdiagnosed as dentinal caries because of radiographic similarities. These lesions are usually identified incidentally during radiographic evaluation, and early detection is important for effective management. The diagnosis should be made on the basis of clinical and radiographic findings, and CBCT imaging is a valuable adjunct for early diagnosis.

Age‐related changes in oral motor‐control strategies during unpredictable load demands in humans

To investigate age-related changes in oral motor strategies in response to unpredictable load demands. Sixty-five healthy children (aged 3-17yr) were divided into five age-groups based on their dental eruption stages and compared with a group of healthy adults (aged 18-35yr). Each participant was asked to perform a standardized motor control task involving 'pulling' and 'holding' a force transducer with the anterior teeth. Different loads were attached to the force transducer in an unpredictable manner. The temporal force profile was divided into two time-segments (an initial segment and a later segment). The peak force and peak force rate during the initial time-segment, and the holding force and intra-trial variability (coefficient of variation) during the later time-segment, were measured. The results showed no differences in the peak force, peak force rate, holding force, and force variability in children compared with adults. However, the trends in the data evaluated using a segmented regression analysis showed that a breakpoint (abrupt change) consistently occurred in the late-mixed dentition group (age 9-11yr) for most of the outcome variables. The results indicate that while the motor control strategies in children appear to be similar to those in adults, there is a shift in the oral motor developmental trend during the late-mixed dentition stage.

Age Estimation by Dental Eruption in Schoolchildren of 14-16 Years Age Group

The estimation of age is an important and is commonly carried in medico legal area. Assessment of age is often required while administering justice to an individual involved in the civil and the criminal litigation. Teeth are known to aid in personal identification and age estimation as they are highly durable and resist putrefaction, fire, chemicals etc. Objective: To study the status of dental eruption in schoolchildren of age group between 14- 16 years. The study was carried out involving 100 students of age group of 14-16 years from BGS High School, B G Nagara, Mandya District. Out of 100 subjects, 50 males and 50 females constituted the study population. In the present study, Upper jaw, on both right and left sides, there was no space behind 2nd molar tooth in 14 years males while space was present in one female of same age group. Only 1 male and 1 female of 15 years age group had developed space behind 2nd molar tooth. Considering the Lower jaw, space behind 2nd molar tooth was developed in 7 cases right side and 8 cases left side in case of 14 years boys. In case of girls of 14 years age it was present in 12 cases on right side and 9 cases on left side. In case of boys of 15 years, it was present in 18 cases on right side and 19 cases on left side. In case of girls of 15 years, it was present in 18 cases on right side and 20 cases on left side. The dental system is an integral part of the human body, its growth and development can be studied in parallel with other physiological maturity indicators such as bone age, menarche and height.

Age determination in dog puppies by teeth examination: legal, health and welfare implications, review of the literature and practical considerations.

Age determination of puppies represents a significant issue of animal welfare and forensic medicine, particularly for what concerns trade and imports of dogs. Despite the movement of puppy dogs before the age of 15 weeks is forbidden by Regulation (EU) No 576/2013, the occurrence of illegal transport of younger puppies is not uncommon. The illegal trade of puppies increases instances of falsified documentation, the counterfeit of vaccine certificates and discrepancies between the declared age and the real age of the puppies. Consequently, determining the exact age of animals and evaluating their welfare become legally crucial. Dental examination currently represents the most common approach to estimate the age of a puppy in clinical practice and in forensic investigations. In this work we addressed the legal, health and welfare issues associated with dogs' trade and import and we reviewed the existing literature referring to the assessment of age in dogs by dental examination. The imprecision and inaccuracy of this method make it poorly convincing in legal proceedings. The reasons for such vagueness are to be ascribed both to the lack of standardization and to many variability factors (size, breed, sex, diet, etc.) which influence dental eruption and development.

Robust age estimation of southern sea otters from multiple morphometrics.

Reliable age estimation is an essential tool to assess the status of wildlife populations and inform successful management. Aging methods, however, are often limited by too few data, skewed demographic representation, and by single or uncertain morphometric relationships. In this study, we synthesize age estimates in southern sea otters Enhydra lutris nereis from 761 individuals across 34 years of study, using multiple noninvasive techniques and capturing all life stages from 0 to 17 years of age. From wild, stranded, and captive individuals, we describe tooth eruptions, tooth wear, body length, nose scarring, and pelage coloration across ontogeny and fit sex‐based growth functions to the data. Dental eruption schedules provided reliable and identifiable metrics spanning 0.3–9 months. Tooth wear was the most reliable predictor of age of individuals aged 1–15 years, which when combined with total length, explained >93% of observed age. Beyond age estimation, dental attrition also indicated the maximum lifespan of adult teeth is 13‒17 years, corresponding with previous estimates of life expectancy. Von Bertalanffy growth function model simulations of length at age gave consistent estimates of asymptotic lengths (male Loo = 126.0‒126.8 cm, female Loo = 115.3‒115.7 cm), biologically realistic gestation periods (t 0 = 115 days, SD = 10.2), and somatic growth (male k = 1.8, SD = 0.1; female k = 2.1, SD = 0.1). Though exploratory, we describe how field radiographic imaging of epiphyseal plate development or fusions may improve aging of immature sea otters. Together, our results highlight the value of integrating information from multiple and diverse datasets to help resolve conservation problems.

Authors' Comments—Long-Term Postoperative Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Analysis of Secondary Bone Grafting in 79 Patients With Unrepaired Alveolar Clefts

Authors' Comments—Long-Term Postoperative Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Analysis of Secondary Bone Grafting in 79 Patients With Unrepaired Alveolar Clefts

Effect of food hardness on chewing behavior in children

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of food hardness on chewing behavior in children compared with adults.Materials and methodsHealthy children (3–17 years) were equally divided into five groups based on their dental eruption stages. Each participant ate soft and hard viscoelastic test food models (3 each), while the three-dimensional jaw movements and electromyographic (EMG) activity of the bilateral masseter muscles were recorded. The data from the children were compared with a control group of healthy adults (18–35 years). The data were analyzed with nonparametric tests.ResultsThere was no significant difference in the number of chewing cycles and the duration of the chewing sequence between children groups and adults. Children with primary dentition (3–5 years) showed shorter lateral jaw movement and higher muscle activity at the end of the chewing sequence, compared with adults. Further, children’s age-groups (3–14 years) failed to adapt their jaw muscle activity to food hardness. However, at the late-permanent dentition stage (15–17 years), children were capable of performing adult-like chewing behavior.ConclusionsOverall, it seems that children as young as 3-year-old are quite competent in performing basic chewing function similar to adults. Yet, there are differences in the anticipation or adaption of jaw muscle activity and jaw kinematics to food hardness.Clinical relevanceThe study may have clinical implication in the diagnosis and management of children with chewing impairment associated with dental malocclusions and other orofacial dysfunctions.

Oral and maxillofacial conditions, dietary aspects, and nutritional status of children with congenital Zika syndrome.

The aim of this study was to investigate oral and maxillofacial outcomes in children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) and the presence of nonnutritive sucking habits, functional habits, and features related to breastfeeding and nutrition of these children. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 45 children with CZS and 50 healthy controls in Sergipe state, Brazil, from February 2018 to June 2018. Demographic and clinical data, including breastfeeding and feeding data, were obtained for each child. Additionally, oral and maxillofacial evaluation was performed. Low weight (prevalence rate [PR] 8.33; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.02-34.45), nonexclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months (PR 1.56; 95% CI 1.18-2.08); mouth breathing (PR 3.46; 95% CI 1.83-6.52); difficulty in swallowing (PR 6.00; 95% CI 2.53-14.25); and excessive salivation (PR 4.81; 95% CI 2.18-10.62) were more frequent in children with CZS. Children with CZS were more likely to have abnormal insertion of the upper labial frenulum (PR 7.04; 95% CI 2.23-22.20); ogival palate (PR 3.70; 95% CI 1.63-8.40), dental enamel defects (PR 2.22; 95% CI 1.05-4.69); and delayed dental eruption (PR 8.89; 95% CI 1.16-68.32) compared with healthy children. Children with CZS had a higher frequency of problems related to breastfeeding, low weight, and oral and maxillofacial abnormalities compared with healthy children.

Deciduous Dental Pulp Stem Cells for Maxillary Alveolar Reconstruction in Cleft Lip and Palate Patients.

Background To reduce morbidity to cleft patients, new approaches have been developed and here, we report for the first time the use of deciduous dental pulp stem cells (DDPSC) associated with a hydroxyapatite-collagen sponge (Bio-Oss Collagen® 250 mg, Geistlich) for closing alveolar defects during secondary dental eruption, further comparing these results to historical controls. Methods Six patients, aged 8 to 12, were selected. Autologous DDPSC were isolated from each patient, then associated with the biomaterial and this bone tissue engineered set was used to fill the alveolar defect. Computed tomography was performed to assess both preoperative and 6- and 12-month postoperative outcomes. Overall morbidity was recorded. Historical controls consisted of sixteen patients previously selected and randomly assigned to group one (rhBMP-2) or group two (iliac crest bone graft). Results DDPSC could be isolated and characterized as mesenchymal stem cells. Progressive alveolar bone union has occurred in all patients. Similarly to group two 75.4%, SD ± 4.0, p > 0.999, but statistically different from group one (59.6%, SD ± 9.9, p > 0.999, but statistically different from group one (59.6%, SD ± 9.9, Conclusion For this selected group of patients, DDPSC therapy resulted in satisfactory bone healing with excellent feasibility and safety, which adds significantly to the prospect of stem cell use in clinical settings. Clinical Question/Level of Evidence. Therapeutic, II. This trial is registered with https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01932164?term=NCT01932164&rank=1.

A method for constructing demographic profiles in Susscrofa using Logarithm Size Index scaling

Demographic profiling of archaeological assemblages offers a window into the shifting exploitation strategies practiced by ancient societies. High resolution sex-specific age profiles, in particular, have yielded new insights into the evolution of early management practices taken during the initial stages of animal domestication (Zeder, 2001). This paper is the third in a series seeking to develop a method for constructing demographic profiles for Sus scrofa — one of the earliest major livestock species noteworthy for being independently domesticated in both Southwest and East Asia. The first paper in this series (Lemoine et al., 2014) presented a new system for constructing high resolution age profiles using patterns of dental eruption and wear. The second (Zeder et al., 2015) presented a new method for computing high resolution age profiles based on long bone fusion. Both papers used a reference assemblage of modern Eurasian wild boar for developing these new aging schemes, which were then applied to the large assemblage of S. scrofa remains from the Early Holocene age site of Hallan Çemi (c. 11,600 cal. BP) in southeastern Anatolia — an assemblage that previous researchers claimed provided evidence for early steps toward management (Redding, 2005). Here we focus on a subset of this modern reference collection consisting of 34 wild boar skeletons from Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. We employ a Logarithm Size Index scaling (LSI) technique to examine the effect of factors such as age, locality, and, sex on body size in modern wild boar. We find that even though both age and locality have an impact on body size, LSI values derived from select measurements of various different post-cranial elements can be used to classify individual osteological specimens as belonging to immature animals, and, for animals older than about eight months of age, as female or male. We test the reliability of these classifications by comparing the known demographic profiles of the modern reference population against those derived from the LSI classifications. Finally, we apply this new method to the Hallan Çemi assemblage and propose a method for adjusting LSI values to account for temporal size differences encountered between the modern and ancient populations. We also present methods for assessing the reliability of these classifications in the ancient population. We conclude by offering guidelines for the application of this new method to other archaeological assemblages of S. scrofa and other ungulate species that demonstrate strong degrees of sexual dimorphism.

Developmental and age-related changes in sensorimotor regulation of biting maneuvers in humans

Previous studies indicated distinct differences in biting and chewing behaviors between children and adults. However, these studies used different methodologies and failed to study age-related changes in the fine motor control of biting from childhood to adulthood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate age-related changes in oral fine motor control in healthy children in comparison to adults. Sixty-five healthy children (3–17 years) were equally divided into five age-groups based on their dental eruption stages. Each participant was asked to hold half a peanut rested on a force transducer between two opposing anterior teeth for 3–4 s before splitting it. The force applied on the transducer was continuously monitored and recorded during food holding and splitting. The data obtained from the children subgroups were compared to an adult group (18–35 years). Results showed that the force regulation during food manipulation was higher and more variable in children with primary to early-permanent dentition stages compared to adults. Additionally, children with primary and early-mixed dentition showed longer food splitting duration than adults and exhibited a predominantly step-wise ramp-increase of force. The results of the present study showed age-related changes in fine motor control of food biting maneuvers. The results of the study also suggested that younger children with primary dentition show signs of immature oral fine motor control. However, with an increase in age and the accompanying structural changes, the oral fine motor control eventually transits to a more matured “adult-like” biting maneuvers.

Parental perspectives on early childhood caries: A qualitative study.

Early childhood caries (ECC) affects about 621 million children worldwide, causing chronic pain, infections, sleeping disorders, and tooth extraction. To determine perspectives of parents and caregivers of preschoolers regarding ECC. Three focus groups were conducted with attendees of the Clinics of Paediatric Dentistry from the Bauru School of Dentistry. The meetings were video- and audio-recorded, and the contents were transcribed verbatim. Then, textual passages were examined and coded using the software NVivo 12 Plus. The participants associated the presence of dental caries lesions with negative consequences for children, such as problems for permanent dentition, discrimination, and psychological damages. Although regular oral hygiene and healthy diet were recognized as important factors for the prevention of ECC, specific doubts about feeding, toothpaste usage, oral hygiene, and dental eruption were detected among parents. Additionally, they declared that their children brush teeth alone, intake fermentable carbohydrates frequently, and sleep during breastfeeding without dental plaque removal, because uncooperativeness, permissiveness, and convenience. Based on these results, parents and caregivers understand the unfavourable effects of ECC on children's quality of life; however, their attitudes against the disease seemed to be inaccurate, influenced by their daily routines, doubts, and beliefs.

ORO-Dental Manifestations in West Syndrome

West Syndrome is a rare epileptic encephalopathy involving infantile spasms, altered electroencephalographic pattern with hypsarrhythmia, and psychomotor development delay. It arises in paediatric patients, generally within the first year of life, in symptomatic or idiopathic form depending on the presence of hereditary features or not. In this report it is described the case of a West syndrome patient affected by multiple caries, gingival enlargement, dental eruption abnormalities, high-arched palate and MIH, treated at the dental clinic of University of Bari "Aldo Moro". West patients present with multiple oral abnormalities, including altered eruption timing, teeth agenesis, teeth shape and position abnormalities, plaque and calculus accumulation, malocclusions and bad oral habits (mouth breathing, nails biting). West Syndrome patients' oral hygiene is generally bad due to their motor difficulty and to their low compliance towards dentists, which entails general anaesthesia to perform dental treatment. West Syndrome pharmacological treatment is usually based on antiepileptic drugs and/or ACTH. These medications are well known for their ability to induce gingival enlargement, increasing the possibility of plaque accumulation and gingivitis development.

Juvenile Glyptodont (Mammalia, Cingulata) from the Miocene of Patagonia, Argentina: Insights into Mandibular and Dental Characters

ABSTRACT The earliest complete glyptodonts (Glyptodontidae, Cingulata) found belong to the Propalaehoplophorinae from Santa Cruz Formation (late early Miocene, Burdigalian) in Patagonia, Argentina. Although several skulls and mandibles have been described from this formation, and assigned to five genera (Propalaehoplophorus Ameghino, Cochlops Ameghino, Asterostemma Ameghino, Eucinepeltus Ameghino, and Metopotoxus Ameghino), the fossil record and knowledge of juvenile specimens of glyptodonts are still poor. Here, we provide a detailed morphological description of a mandible of a juvenile propalaehoplophorinae glyptodont from the Santa Cruz Formation, using micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy images. We compare the juvenile mandible with adult specimens and discuss the taxonomic assignment, the juvenile and adult mandibular and dental characters, and dental eruption and tooth wear.