Dental Pathological Conditions Research Articles

Analysis of the prevalence and structure of dental morbidity among applicants to the Military Medical Academy named after S.M. Kirov

AIM: To determine the qualitative structure of dental diseases and pathological conditions of the maxillofacial region and the level of their prevalence among young individuals entering higher military educational institutions in Russia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data obtained during the dental examination of applicants to the Military Medical Academy named after S.M. Kirov as part of a military medical examination to provide admission to a higher educational institution was comprehensively analyzed. RESULTS: The results showed a moderately high level of prevalence of diseases and pathological conditions of the oral cavity in the surveyed population. Among 589 applicants aged 16–25 years who arrived from different regions in Russia, the percentage of those in need of oral sanitation was 51.95%. The most common nosological form among the examined young people was dental caries, including recurrent and secondary forms, which ranged from 19 to 44% in various groups of examined people. Additionally, a low level of oral hygiene was identified, noted in more than 45% of applicants. CONCLUSION: The peculiarities of the obtained research results should be explained by unsatisfactory knowledge and skills in matters of individual oral hygiene (hereinafter referred to as IHPR), insufficient medical education, low level of compliance, and readiness to carry out activities to maintain dental health among young people.

Caries prevalence and other dental pathological conditions in Vikings from Varnhem, Sweden

In a late Swedish Viking Age population dating from around 10th-12th century AD, the prevalence, distribution and location of dental caries were studied. Tooth wear, other dental pathology and anatomical variations were identified and recorded clinically and radiographically. A total of 3293 teeth were analyzed from 171 individuals with complete and partial dentitions, of which 133 were permanent and 38 deciduous/mixed dentition. The dentitions were studied clinically, using a dental probe under a strong light source, and radiographs were taken for 18 of the individuals to verify and complement the clinical caries registration. Almost half the population, 83 of 171 individuals (49%), had at least one carious lesion. All individuals with deciduous or mixed dentitions were caries-free. The number of teeth affected by caries among adults was 424 (13%) and the surface most susceptible to caries was the root surface. The tooth most commonly affected by caries was the first mandibular molar. Other findings included apical infections, which were detected clinically in 4% of the teeth, and one case of filed front teeth. The findings gave a unique understanding of life and death in this early Christian Viking community and indicated that it was common to suffer from dental caries, tooth loss, infections of dental origin and tooth pain. These Vikings also manipulated their teeth through filing, tooth picking and other occupational behaviors.

Osteological, multi-isotope and proteomic analysis of poorly-preserved human remains from a Dutch East India Company burial ground in South Africa

Skeletal remains discovered in Simon’s Town, South Africa, were hypothesised as being associated with a former Dutch East India Company (VOC) hospital. We report a novel combined osteological and biochemical approach to these poorly-preserved remains. A combined strontium (87Sr/86Sr), oxygen (δ18OVPDB) and carbon (δ13CVPDB) isotope analysis informed possible childhood origins and diet, while sex-specific amelogenin enamel peptides revealed biological sex. Osteological analyses presented evidence of residual rickets, a healed trauma, dental pathological conditions, and pipe notches. The combined isotope analyses yielded results for 43 individuals which suggested a diverse range of geological origins, including at least 16% of the population being non-local. The inclusion of δ13CVPDB had intriguing implications for three individuals who likely did not have origins in the Cape Town region nor in Europe. Peptide analysis on the dental enamel of 25 tested individuals confirmed they were all biologically male. We suggest that isolated enamel may provide crucial information about individuals’ pathological conditions, geographical origins, diet, and biological sex. These data further demonstrated that a combined approach using multiple osteological and biochemical methods is advantageous for human remains which are poorly preserved and can contextualise a site with little direct evidence.

Evaluation of dental demands and needs of people experiencing homelessness in the city of Rome, Italy.

Poor oral health and oral diseases are common among people experiencing homelessness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dental demands and needs of a population of homeless persons in the city of Rome, Italy. The clinical records of 165 homeless patients admitted between October 2020 and October 2021 to the dental service of the Primary Care Services of the Eleemosynaria Apostolica, Vatican City, were retrospectively reviewed. The service employed dentists to evaluate dental needs and oral conditions in patients experiencing homelessness. The main dental and oral pathological conditions were noted. One hundred and sixty-five records of homeless patients were included in the study. The sample consisted in 138 males (76.97%) and 27 females (23.03%) with a mean age of 46.9 years (range 7-85 years). Acute tooth pain was reported by 132 (80%) patients, 42 (25.45%) had edentulism or missing teeth and 18 (10.91%) patients had oral lesions. Both dental and oral pathologies were intercepted and managed in secondary healthcare facilities. Given the specific peculiarities of this vulnerable population, it is important to implement strategies that facilitate the access of persons experiencing homelessness to dental evaluation with a preventive and curative perspective.

X-RAY BASED IMAGING AND 3D RECONSTRUCTION OF DENTAL PATHOLOGIES ON THE EXAMPLE OF PALAEOANTHROPOLOGICAL FINDING

Abstract. Findings from Bronze Age burials of Shengavit settlement have become a source of multiple studies referred to anthropological, and especially odontological, research based on 3d imaging and image processing techniques. The currently presented case is an example of palaeopathological analysis of bone tissue resorption caused by complications of dental pathologies. Thus by analogy with diagnostic procedures in clinical dentistry, conventional x-ray based cone-beam tomographic scanning have been applied and have shown its effectiveness as a study method. Through CBCT imaging we managed to reveal a hidden pathological process in the body of the studied semi-mandible fragment, though initially another pathological area located on the same finding was planned to be studied. Application of micro-computed tomography has improved analytical, or diagnostic, part of the current palaepathological study. It has brought to finding unusual morphological features hypothetically causing bone resorption as a complication of dental pathological conditions. However our intention to obtain 3d reconstructions as evidence supporting the most likely version required several attempts to correct image processing in line with the increase of imaging resolution.

IAEA survey of dental cone beam computed tomography practice and related patient exposure in nine Central and Eastern European countries.

Cone beam CT (CBCT) in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery is a widely used imaging method for the assessment of various maxillofacial and dental pathological conditions. The objective of this study was to summarize the results of a multinational retrospective-prospective study that focused on patient exposure in this modality. The study included 27 CBCT units and 325 adult and paediatric patients, in total. Data on patients, clinical indications, technical parameters of exposure, patient dose indicator, or, alternatively, dose to phantom were collected. The dose indicator used was air kerma-area product, PKA. In most scanners operators are offered with a variety of options regarding technical parameters, especially the field of view size. The median and the third quartile value of PKA for adult patients in 14 different facilities were 820 mGy cm² and 1000 mGy cm² (interquartile range = 1058 mGy cm²), and 653 mGy cm² and 740 mGy cm² (interquartile range = 1179 mGy cm²) for children, as reported by four different institutions. Phantom dose data were reported from 15 institutions, and median PKA ranged from 125 mGy cm² to 1951 mGy cm². Median PKA values varied by more than a 10-fold between institutions, mainly due to differences in imaging protocol used, in particular field of view and tube current-exposure time product. The results emphasize the need for a cautious approach to using dental CBCT. Imaging only when the clinical indications are clear, accompanied with the appropriate radiographic techniques and the optimum imaging protocol, will help reduce radiation dose to patients.

Qafzeh 9 mandible (ca 90–100 kyrs BP, Israel) revisited: μ-CT and 3D reveal new pathological conditions

ObjectiveThe aim of this paper is to provide new insights into growth patterns and health of Mousterian hunter-gatherers dated to ca. 90–100 kyrs B.P. from the Qafzeh site. MaterialsAn almost complete skeleton, including the mandible from the Qafzeh site (Qafzeh 9). MethodsMicro-CT and medical imaging techniques are used to explore inaccessible inner structures and to assess the etiology of identified lesion. ResultsMandibular and dental conditions appear to be growth-related skeletal disorders. ConclusionTo our knowledge, Qafzeh 9 offers the earliest evidence of associated mandibular and dental pathological conditions (i.e. non-ossifying fibroma of the mandible, pre-eruptive intracoronal resorption and osteochondritis dissecans of the temporomandibular joint) among early anatomically modern humans, and more generally among Middle Palaeolithic hominins in Southwestern Asia. The diagnoses can be added to other growth-related disorders of skulls previously documented from the Qafzeh site (Tillier, 1999; Tillier et al., 2001), suggesting a quite high and exceptional incidence of these conditions compared to those of Palaeolithic populations. SignificanceIdentification of pathological conditions in subadults from Eurasia dated to the Middle Palaeolithic is documented less often than in adult skeletons. Hence, new results from immature fossil remains are particularly important to our understanding of the past. Suggestions for further researchThis research will be extended to the rest of the skeleton, then to all Qafzeh specimens in order to broaden our understanding of this anatomically modern group.

Outlining a Definition of Oral Health within the Study of Human Skeletal Remains

The term oral health is regularly used in bioarchaeological research to discuss a myriad of pathological conditions of the oral cavity. However, there is very little consensus on what conditions should be included in such a study, and some of the conditions are at odds with those in the clinical literature. In this manuscript, we outline the clinical definition of oral health and develop a strategy in which bioarchaeology can address this type of research. We argue that the terms dental disease and/or pathological conditions of the oral cavity should be used in lieu of oral health. Various conditions that can be included in such research are outlined. Finally, definitions, clinical etiologies, and recording schema for these conditions are discussed as relevant to bioarchaeological studies.

The Impact of Hybrid Nano-Materials in Tooth Tissue Restoration

Tooth loss due to dental diseases, caries, and other related pathological conditions has plagued people and is the most prevalent cause of human organ failure. Billions of people have suffered from losing teeth and dental diseases so that generating natural dental tissues are more appreciated than artificial tooth implantation. The aspiration among the dentists to restore this loss biologically is the genesis of the tooth regeneration. Current trends initiate tissue engineering with a concept of functional restoration of tissue and organ defects by the triad of biomaterial scaffolds, growth factors, and stem cells (Rosa et al. 2012). This paper, therefore, focuses on the significance of nanostructured hybrid materials in the tooth regeneration through tissue engineering. For this purpose, literature was examined and studies on nanomorphological features of stem cells, dental tissues found within the oral area, the signaling molecules utilized in the tissue engineering, and the hybrid scaffolds that guide reconstructions of periodontal tissues were selected for the review. The nanodentistry has been potential, undoubtedly, to achieve almost perfect dental health in the nearest future. However, the success will largely be determined by human requirements and resource supply (technology, economy, and time). Finally, the future and actual potentials of nanotechnologies pertaining tissue engineering will be applied in dentistry (Mitziadis, Woloszyk, & Jimenez-Rojo, 2012). Keywords: Stem cells; scaffolds; nanomaterials; hybrid materials, tissue engineering; dentistry; signaling molecules.

Dental Paleopathology of the Ray Site (12W6), Indiana

The Ray site (1 2W6), in southern Indiana, contains several secondary burials, two of which havebeen dated to the Mississippian period (A.D. 1050-A.D. 1450). Three burial styles were noted: (1) burials linedwith stone slabs and containing Mississippian pottery, (2) burials lined with stone slabs without Mississippianpottery, and (3) burials not lined with stone slabs and without Mississippian pottery. The purpose of this studywas to determine the biological homogeneity of this poorly preserved skeletal assemblage via an analysis of dentalpathological conditions, the frequency and expression of which are known to associate with distinct dietary and/orsettlement patterns. Conditions studied include the frequency of hypoplastic defects and carious lesions, the typeof hypoplastic defects, the earliest age of onset of hypoplastic defects, and the location of carious lesions. A totalof 437 teeth were scored for hypoplastic defects and 433 were scored for carious lesions. No significant differencein dental pathologies was found between burial styles. Therefore, despite considerable burial heterogeneity,dental pathological conditions suggest that individuals from all burials consumed an equally cariogenic diet andunderwent similar childhood stresses. It is most likely that all burials are from the same temporal and social groupand that the different burial styles represent different stages in the processing of the remains of individuals from ahigh social status Mississippian mortuary.

Radiation dose assessment of radiosensitive organs using mosfet detectors and monte-carlo based dosimetry software PCXMC during dental cone beam computed tomography examinations

Introduction Dental cone beam computed tomography is a new imaging modality increasingly being used in the oral and maxillofacial radiology, mainly for implant planning and assessment of general bony and dental pathological conditions. European Commission, Radiation Protection No 172, Cone beam CT for dental and maxillofacial radiology, 2012 report mentions; that Medical Physicists are required to routinely monitor radiation doses from such modality. Purpose We propose to establish an easily implemented method to assess the radiation dose delivered to the radiosensitive organs during imaging. Materials and methods The MOSFET detectors were used to measure the patient eye and thyroid gland radiation doses by placing them directly over the area covering the mentioned organs of the anthropomorphic adult female phantom. The measured doses were compared with the calculated doses using PCXMC software (version 2.0). Results Absorbed doses in (mGy) to the skin in the region of the eyes and thyroid were measured. MOSFET detectors calibration factor was obtained by direct comparison with calibrated standard ionization chamber. The uncertainty factor was 15% for the kV range used by the scanner. The most common DCBCT examination is the full arch high resolution scan conducted at our hospital using the WhiteFox CBCT scanner. The average measured eye and thyroid doses were 4.3 and 1.2 mGy respectively. The obtained results seem to agree with other published dosimetric studies. Conclusion The presented method can be used to routinely monitor radiation doses delivered to radiosensitive organs as result of imaging studies using DCBCT scanners in clinical environment. Disclosure we have nothing to disclose in relation with the presented work.

Dental health, diet, and social transformations in the Bronze Age: Comparative analysis of pastoral populations in northern Kazakhstan

Comparative analyses of human health and diet are often undertaken for consecutive periods of time which exhibit different social formations or material culture. The aim of this research was to test the link between social transformations and corollary shifts in health or diet. Therefore, oral health and dietary intake were examined in successive Bronze Age periods in central Eurasia with very different patterns of settlement and scales of interaction. Researchers have posited that these periods are evidence of an economic shift from agro-pastoral to pastoral patterns of subsistence. Populations from two sites in northern Kazakhstan (52°10′N, 64°32′E; 52°32′N, 62°23′E) were investigated in terms of dental caries, calculus, abscesses, ante-mortem tooth loss and periodontal disease. The results of this study indicate that the types of dental pathological conditions present stayed relatively uniform over time, suggesting similarities in dietary intake for populations at the sites of Bestamak (2032–1639 cal BC) and Lisakovsk (1860–1680 cal BC). The dietary intake of these communities is indicative of a noncariogenic diet with a high protein content and lack of carbohydrates. These findings conform to general patterns for pastoral societies and are consistent with stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic data. While they types of pathological conditions were similar, the severity of these lesions decreased in the later period. Comparatively more pronounced frequencies of pathological conditions during the earlier period are attributed to multiple etiologies including different patterns of consumption, dental cleaning behaviors, or stress. While the archaeological record indicates broad shifts in settlement patterns, demography, and mortuary rituals from the Middle to Late Bronze Ages, there was only a slight shift in dental health.

The bioarchaeology of the Neolithic transition: evidence of dental pathologies at Lepenski Vir (Serbia)

The Neolithic transition affected human biology, which is visible as a series of inter- related skeletal and dental pathological conditions. The population of Lepenski vir culture, which inhabited the region of the Danube Gorges between 9500–5500 BC, also went through the neolithisa- tion process. In this study, the dental pathological conditions of 32 adult individuals from the Lepenski Vir site were examined for the incidence of enamel hypoplasia, the rate of dental wear, dental caries and ante-mortem tooth loss. The results indicate changes in biology and diet of this population in the Neolithic which were associated with the introduction of non-local identities in the region.

The genetic basis of craniofacial and dental abnormalities.

The embryonic head development, including the formation of dental structures, is a complex and delicate process guided by specific genetic programs. Genetic changes and environmental factors can disturb the execution of these programs and result in abnormalities in orofacial and dental structures. Orofacial clefts and hypodontia/ oligodontia are examples of such abnormalities frequently seen in dental clinics. An insight into the mechanisms and genes involved in the formation of orofacial and dental structures has been gradually gained by genetic analysis of families and by the use of experimental vertebrate models such as the mouse and chick models. The development of novel clinical therapies for orofacial and dental pathological conditions depends very much on a detailed knowledge of the molecular and cellular processes that are involved in head formation.

Health and morbidity in ancient Chilean populations: Preliminary perspectives using subadult data

Bioarchaeological studies have suggested a general trend whereby the health of past populations degraded as they transitioned from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a sedentary, agricultural lifestyle. Ancient societies of northern Chile provide a unique perspective on this debate in that while the earliest societies relied on hunting and gathering they were at the same time sedentary. Furthermore, later agricultural Chilean societies had relatively balanced diets since they also relied on fishing. Thus, this study examined four skeletal markers of health on sixty-one subadults ranging from the Archaic (7000-1000 B.C.) to Late Horizon (A.D. 1476-1532) periods in order to prove the impact of subsistence strategies and social organization on individuals’ health. These health markers were cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis, trauma, dental pathological conditions, and infections. Despite the small sample size, this study gives a glimpse of childhood health conditions and morbidity patterns in northern Chile. The results showed no statistical differences of morbidity patterns between preagricultural and agricultural societies, a contradiction to previous assumptions about morbidity differences between preagricultural and agricultural societies.

Dental health and disease in ancient Egypt

In ancient Egypt the exceptionally dry climate together with the unique burial customs has resulted in the survival of large numbers of well-preserved skeletal and mummified remains. Examinations of these remains together with an analysis of the surviving documentary, archaeological and ethnographic evidence has enabled a detailed picture of the dental health of these ancient people to be revealed, perhaps more so than for any other civilisation in antiquity. In this, the first of two articles, the dental pathological conditions that afflicted the ancient Egyptians is considered. The commonest finding is that of tooth wear, which was often so excessive that it resulted in pulpal exposure. Multiple abscesses were frequently seen, but caries was not a significant problem. Overall the findings indicate that the various pathological conditions and non-pathological abnormalities of teeth evident in dentitions in the twenty-first century were also manifest in ancient Egypt, although the incidences of these conditions varies considerably between the civilisations.

In vitro IL‐1β release from gingival fibroblasts in response to pure metals, dental alloys and ceramic

Little information is available on the immunological basis for side-effects of dental materials. The objective of this study is to evaluate effects of pure metals, dental alloys and ceramic on cell viability and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) release in three-dimensional human gingival fibroblast cultures as an indicator of their biological performance in gingival tissues. The gingival fibroblast cultures were exposed to test specimens fabricated from nickel, iron, molybdenum, copper, indium, gold, Ni-Cr-Mo alloy (Remanium CS), Au-Pt-In alloy (Pontostar) and a dental ceramic (In-ceram). Cell viability was determined by the MTT method 24 and 48 h after exposure. Assays for IL-1beta were carried out by ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed applying the non-parametric Mann-Whitney pairwise test. Dental ceramic and gold did not influence cell viability after 24 and 48 h. Cell viability was determined after 24 and 48 h to nickel (79-77%), iron (92-90%), molybdenum (86-83%), copper (48-36%), indium (90-90%), Remanium CS (83-80%), Pontostar (94-91%) compared with control cultures. Dental ceramic, Pontostar and gold had no significant influence on IL-1beta secretion. The highest amounts of IL-1beta (10-fold) levels were determined in cell cultures exposed to copper. Indium, molybdenum and iron induced twofold IL-1beta levels compared with untreated control cultures. These results support that some metals may alter immune responses and thereby contribute to a variety of dental pathological conditions and three-dimensional cell culture models for gingival fibroblasts appear to be suitable for in vitro studies.

Biological Changes in Human Populations with Agriculture

Agriculture has long been regarded as an improvement in the human condition: Once Homo sapiens made the transition from foraging to farming in the Neolithic, health and nutrition improved, longevity increased, and work load declined. Recent study of archaeological human remains worldwide by biological anthropologists has shown this characterization of the shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture to be incorrect. Contrary to earlier models, the adoption of agriculture involved an overall decline in oral and general health. This decline is indicated by elevated prevalence of various skeletal and dental pathological conditions and alterations in skeletal and dental growth patterns in prehistoric farmers compared with foragers. In addition, changes in food composition and preparation technology contributed to craniofacial and dental alterations, and activity levels and mobility decline resulted in a general decrease in skeletal robusticity. These findings indicate that the shift from food collection to food production occasioned significant and widespread biological changes in human populations during the last 10,000 years.

Effects of copper-based dental casting alloys on two lymphocyte cell lines and the secretion of interleukin 2 and lgG

In the oral environment, gingival lymphocytes are involved in maintaining the local immune defense of periodontal tissues. The corrosion rates of copper-based dental casting alloys and the accumulation of corrosion products in host gingiva raise concerns about the effects of these corrosion products on immune responses in the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that immune function may be altered by copper dental alloy corrosion products. In vitro cell culture studies were used to analyze the effects of three copper-based dental alloys on a T-cell and B-cell line and their secretion of soluble immune mediators (IL-2) and effectors (lgG), respectively. Results of this study revealed that corrosion products released from copper alloys in 24 h have the ability to reduce cellular viability, alter proliferation, and modulate the production of soluble immune mediators. These results support the hypothesis that copper dental alloy corrosion products may alter immune responses and thereby contribute to a variety of dental pathological conditions.

Upper pleistocene fossil hominids from Sri Lanka.

Between 1978 and 1983 hominid skeletal remains were collected from the cave sites of Batadomba lena and Beli lena Kitulgala in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). These are the most ancient specimens of anatomically modern Homo sapiens found thus far in South Asia, radiocarbon dates placing them in the Upper Pleistocene. Morphometric analysis of the remains of some 38 individuals from the two sites indicates that these populations were characterized by medium stature, moderate to pronounced cranial and postcranial robusticity, medium-size permanent tooth crown measurements, prognathic alveolar facial proportions, and low incidence of osseous and dental pathological conditions. Comparisons of these ancient Sri Lankans with other prehistoric skeletal series from South Asia and elsewhere support the hypothesis that muscular-skeletal robusticity was a significant physical adaptation of earlier hunting-foraging populations. A trend towards reduction of sexual dimorphism and development of more gracile body form and smaller teeth appears to have accelerated with the socioeconomic transition to food-production strategies involving agriculture and pastoralism and refinement of technologies for food procurement and preparation, as documented by morphometric studies of later prehistoric inhabitants of South Asia.