Diet-related buccal dental microwear patterns in central african pygmy foragers and bantu-speaking farmer and pastoralist populations.

Pygmy hunter-gatherers from Central Africa have shared a network of socioeconomic interactions with non-Pygmy Bantu speakers since agropastoral lifestyle spread across sub-Saharan Africa. Ethnographic studies have reported that their diets differ in consumption of both animal proteins and starch grains. Hunted meat and gathered plant foods, especially underground storage organs (USOs), are dietary staples for pygmies. However, scarce information exists about forager-farmer interaction and the agricultural products used by pygmies. Since the effects of dietary preferences on teeth in modern and past pygmies remain unknown, we explored dietary history through quantitative analysis of buccal microwear on cheek teeth in well-documented Baka pygmies. We then determined if microwear patterns differ among other Pygmy groups (Aka, Mbuti, and Babongo) and between Bantu-speaking farmer and pastoralist populations from past centuries. The buccal dental microwear patterns of Pygmy hunter-gatherers and non-Pygmy Bantu pastoralists show lower scratch densities, indicative of diets more intensively based on nonabrasive foodstuffs, compared with Bantu farmers, who consume larger amounts of grit from stoneground foods. The Baka pygmies showed microwear patterns similar to those of ancient Aka and Mbuti, suggesting that the mechanical properties of their preferred diets have not significantly changed through time. In contrast, Babongo pygmies showed scratch densities and lengths similar to those of the farmers, consistent with sociocultural contacts and genetic factors. Our findings support that buccal microwear patterns predict dietary habits independent of ecological conditions and reflect the abrasive properties of preferred or fallback foods such as USOs, which may have contributed to the dietary specializations of ancient human populations.

Evaluation of the indication for surgical extraction of third molars according to the oral surgeon and the primary care dentist. Experience in the Master of Oral Surgery and Implantology at Barcelona University Dental School

Introduction: Third molar extraction is the most frequent procedure in oral surgery. The present study evaluates the indication of third molar extraction as established by the primary care dentist (PCD) and the oral surgeon, and compares the justification for extraction with the principal reason for patient consultation. Patients and method: A descriptive study was made of 319 patients subjected to surgical removal of a third molar in the context of the Master of Oral Surgery and Implantology (Barcelona University Dental School, Barcelona, Spain) between July 2004 and March 2005. The following parameters were evaluated: sex, age, molar, type of impaction, position according to the classifications of Pell and Gregory and of Winter, and the reasons justifying extraction. Results: The lower third molars were the most commonly extracted molars (73.7%). A total of 69.6% of the teeth were covered by soft tissues only. Fifty-six percent of the lower molars corresponded to Pell and Gregory Class IIB, while 42.1% were in the vertical position. The most common reason for patient reference to our Service of Oral Surgery on the part of the PCD was prophylactic removal (51.0% versus 46.1% in the case of the oral surgeon). Discussion and conclusions. Our results show prophylaxis to be the principal indication of third molar extraction, followed by orthodontic reasons. Regarding third molars with associated clinical symptoms or signs, infectious disease-including pericoronitis- was the pathology most often observed by the oral surgeon, followed by caries. This order of frequency was seen to invert in the case of third molars referred for extraction by the PCD. A vertical position predominated among the third molars with associated pathology

Endosseous dental implant fractures an analysis of 21 cases

Implant fracture is an infrequent cause of implant failure. The present study evaluates 21 fractured implants, with an analysis of patient age and sex, the type, length and diameter of the implant, positioning in the dental arch, the type of prosthetic rehabilitation involved, the number of abutments and pontics, the presence or absence of distal extensions or cantilevers, and loading time to fracture. Implant fracture was more common in males than in females (15:4), and the mean patient age was 56.9 years. Most cases (n = 19) corresponded to implant-supported fixed prostheses - 16 with cantilevers of different lengths- while only two fractured implants were supporting overdentures instead of fixed prostheses. The great majority of fractured implants (80.9%) were located in the molar and premolar regions, and most fractured within 3-4 years after loading. It is important to know and apply the measures required to prevent implant fracture, and to seek the best individualized solution for each case - though complete implant removal is usually the treatment of choice

Periodontal health and esthetic results in impacted teeth exposed by apically positioned flap technique

Objectives: This study evaluates the periodontal health status and the esthetic results of teeth subjected to orthodontic traction, after their exposure by an apically positioned flap. Study design: Fifteen patients were included in the study, ages between 11 and 28 years old. The fenestrated teeth and their homologous contralateral normally erupted teeth, used as control, were evaluated. Results: Statistically significant differences were found in the position of the gingival margin (p = 0.005), with an average distance between cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) and gingival margin of 2.47 mm (SD 1.19) in control teeth and of 1 mm (SD 1.31) in the operated teeth, and in the depth of palatal probing (p = 0.031), with 2.1 mm (SD 0.9) for the experimental teeth and 1.7 mm (SD 0.8) for the control teeth. The gingival index, the bleeding during probing and the probing depth did not show statistically significant differences. The patient"s subjective esthetic evaluation was more favorable for the control teeth in most of the cases. Conclusions: The surgical approach for the impacted teeth by means of the apically positioned flap resulted to be a predictable technique allowing the maintenance of the periodontal health on a long-term basis.

Diagonal ear lobe crease and atherosclerosis: a review of the medical literature and dental implications

In Spain a significant number of individuals die from atherosclerotic disease of the coronary and carotid arteries without having classic risk factors and prodromal symptoms. The diagonal ear lobe crease (DELC) has been characterized in the medical literature as a surrogate marker which can identify high risk patients having occult atherosclerosis. This topic however has not been examined in either the medical or dental literature emanating from Spain. The majority of clinical, angiography and postmortem reports support the premise that DELC is a valuable extravascular physical sign able to distinguish some patients at risk of succumbing to atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. A minority of studies have however failed to support this hypothesis. More recently reports using B mode ultrasound have also linked DELC to atherosclerosis of the carotid artery and another report has related DELC to the presence of calcified carotid artery atheromas on panoramic radiographs. DELC is readily visible during head and neck cancer screening examinations. In conjunction with the patient"s medical history, vital signs, and panoramic radiograph, the DELC may assist in atherosclerotic risk assessment

Computer-aided system for morphometric mandibular index computation (Using dental panoramic radiographs)

Objective: We propose and validate a computer aided system to measure three different mandibular indexes: cortical width, panoramic mandibular index and, mandibular alveolar bone resorption index. Study Design: Repeatability and reproducibility of the measurements are analyzed and compared to the manual estimation of the same indexes. Results: The proposed computerized system exhibits superior repeatability and reproducibility rates compared to standard manual methods. Moreover, the time required to perform the measurements using the proposed method is negligible compared to perform the measurements manually. Conclusions: We have proposed a very user friendly computerized method to measure three different morphometric mandibular indexes. From the results we can conclude that the system provides a practical manner to perform these measurements. It does not require an expert examiner and does not take more than 16 seconds per analysis. Thus, it may be suitable to diagnose osteoporosis using dental panoramic radiographs

Buccal dental microwear and stable isotopes of El Collado: A mesolithic site from Spain,

This study examines the correlation between buccal dental microwear and stable isotopes. The buccal surface of post-canine teeth casts from El Collado, the largest Mesolithic site in Spain, were examined under Scanning Electron Microscope; photomicrographs were taken from the middle third of the buccal surface with magnification 100X. Only six individuals passed the criteria for buccal dental microwear analysis. The photomicrographs were treated by adobe Photoshop 8.01 to cover an area 0.56 mm² of middle third of buccal surface, the output photomicrographs were digitized using Sigmascan Pro 5 by SPSS. Then the correlation between buccal microwear pattern and stable isotopes of the same individuals, of the previous study of Guixe et al., 2006, was examined using a Pearson test. Statistical analysis revealed that there is no significant correlation between stable isotopes and buccal dental microwear of the people of the Mesolithic site of El Collado. The historical and archaeological documentation suggest that the Mesolithic people tended to consume marine food. Fish-drying techniques were used during the Mesolithic period which allowed the introduction of dust and sand to the fish. These abrasive particles affected the buccal dental microwear pattern, so that no correlation between the isotopes and microwear may be expected. This also suggests that the buccal dental microwear pattern exceeds dietary reconstruction to reconstruct food processing techniques.

Ironías de la ironía: argumento dialéctico, figura retórica o categoría estética

[spa] El artículo plantea una breve revisión de la idea de ironía desde el punto de vista de la retórica y sus derivaciones en algunos de los estudios lingüísticos del siglo XX. Se parte de la clasificación tradicional de la ironía socrática, la ironía retórica y la ironía romántica para centrar el análisis en aspectos básicos del fenómeno irónico tales como la oposición, la verosimilitud, la complicidad con el intérprete o el papel desempeñado por el contexto. [eng] This article is a brief review of the concept of irony from the point of view of rhetoric and its influences in some of the twentieth century linguistic studies. The review begins with the traditional classification of Socratic irony, rhetoric irony and romantic irony in order to focus the analysis on some fundamental elements of ironic phenomenon such as opposition, verisimilitude, camaraderie with the interpreter or the role played by the context.

Prevalence of smoking among dentists in Catalonia - Spain (2006). Literature review of smoking cessation practices in the dental office

Objective: The objective of this study was to collect data on the prevalence of smokers among Catalonian dentists (by age and sex) and compare them with existing data on the general population, doctors, registered nurses and pharmacists. The overall prevalence of smokers in Catalonia (2006) was 34.5% of men and 24.3% of women. Data available on the prevalence of smoking among doctors (26.3% men and 22.1% women), pharmacists (19.8% men and 20.6% women) and registered nurses (34.1% men and 35.3% women) relates to the year 2002. Study design: In September 2006, Catalonian dentists (n=3,799) were asked about their habits in relation to tobacco in a self-administered questionnaire, on use and opinions with respect to dental amalgam. Five hundred and seventynine questionnaires were received, of which 538 answered the question on smoking (14.2% of the sample universe). Results: The prevalence of smokers among dentists is lower (24.9% of men and 18.4% of women) than in the general population and other healthcare professionals. In dentists in the age group between 25 and 34 years, the prevalence was 26.1% in men and 14.9% in women, while the prevalence in this age group in the general population was 43.6% and 37.1%, respectively. Conclusion: Catalonian dentists have a much lower prevalence of tobacco use than the general population and lower even than other healthcare professionals. Given that non-smoking healthcare professionals have better awareness for providing recommendations for smoking prevention and cessation, Catalonian dentists may be a valid group for performing this task for which there is scientific evidence.

Lipoma parosteal de arco costal: relato de caso

Os autores relatam o caso de um paciente com história de tumoração na região subaxilar esquerda, de crescimento progressivo, com início há vários anos. A radiografia e a tomografia computadorizada evidenciaram lesão expansiva com densidade menor do que partes moles adjacentes, com contornos bem definidos, contígua ao quinto arco costal esquerdo, com ossificações irregulares em seu interior. Histologicamente, foi diagnosticado lipoma parosteal, um raro tumor benigno de crescimento lento.

Arco aórtico direito com artéria subclávia esquerda aberrante e divertículo de Kommerell

É relatado um caso de uma paciente do sexo feminino, 40 anos de idade, com queixas de disfagia e dor torácica retroesternal há três anos causadas pela presença de artéria subclávia esquerda aberrante retroesofágica com origem em uma dilatação aneurismática (divertículo de Kommerell). O arco aórtico e a aorta torácica descendente estão localizados à direita. O diagnóstico foi estabelecido por meio dos exames de esofagograma, tomografia computadorizada e angiorressonância magnética. A paciente apresentou melhora importante com o tratamento clínico e, atualmente, segue em acompanhamento ambulatorial há um ano.

Cálculo independente de dose para tratamentos de arco dinâmico com colimador micromultilâminas

OBJETIVO: Em técnicas de tratamento como o arco dinâmico, a verificação manual dos cálculos do sistema de planejamento é muito difícil. Assim, a utilização de ferramentas computacionais é de utilidade e torna-se componente essencial do programa de controle de qualidade. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foi criado um programa computacional de tipo planilha eletrônica para realizar cálculo independente da dose, ou equivalente das unidades monitoras, nos tratamentos realizados pela técnica de arco dinâmico com micromultilâminas. Os valores de dose calculados, por arco e por tratamento completo, foram comparados aos valores obtidos do sistema de planejamento BrainScan v5.3. O programa desenvolvido foi testado com 229 campos de arco dinâmico que representam 42 tratamentos de crânio. Desses, 109 campos foram calculados em reconstrução tridimensional feita a partir das imagens de tomografia dos pacientes, 109 na reconstrução de um objeto simulador de polimetilmetacrilato e 21 na de um objeto simulador sólido equivalente à água. RESULTADOS: A diferença média de doses totais encontrada nos 42 tratamentos (compostos de um ou mais arcos dinâmicos), entre o programa de verificação e o sistema de planejamento, foi de +1,73%, com desvio-padrão de 0,76%. A diferença máxima encontrada foi de 3,32% e a mínima, de -0,20%. No caso dos 229 arcos testados um a um, a diferença média encontrada foi de 1,61%, com desvio-padrão de 1,04%. Os valores máximos e mínimos das diferenças foram de 4,01% e -2,04%, respectivamente. Em 80,35% dos arcos testados, as doses calculadas acham-se na faixa de ± 2,5% de diferença com relação às doses geradas pelo sistema de planejamento. CONCLUSÃO: O programa apresentado é recomendado para a verificação da dose pontual dos planos de tratamento, como parte do procedimento de garantia de qualidade em radioterapia e radiocirurgia estereotáxica quando se utiliza a técnica de arco dinâmico por meio de um colimador micromultilâminas, nos quais um cálculo manual é muito difícil ou inviável, pela complexidade da técnica.

Avaliação quantitativa das forças laterais da patela: ressonância magnética estática e cinemática

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a validade da ressonância magnética cinemática combinada com a ressonância magnética estática no estudo da articulação femoropatelar. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram realizadas ressonância magnética estática e ressonância magnética cinemática em 20 voluntários assintomáticos (40 joelhos) e em 23 pacientes (43 joelhos), em aparelho de configuração fechada de 1,5 tesla de campo. Os indivíduos foram posicionados na extremidade da mesa, em 30° de flexão. A translação patelar foi avaliada medindo-se o desvio da bissetriz, o deslocamento lateral da patela e o ângulo de inclinação da patela. Para a comparação entre os estudos estático e cinemático, foi utilizado o teste não-paramétrico de Wilcoxon. Para a comparação entre os voluntários e os pacientes, foi utilizado o teste de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Houve diferenças significantes entre a ressonância magnética estática e a ressonância magnética cinemática (p < 0,05) nos três parâmetros utilizados. No grupo dos pacientes, as diferenças entre a ressonância magnética estática e a ressonância magnética cinemática foram maiores que nos voluntários a 20° e a 30° de flexão, com o desvio da bissetriz e com o deslocamento lateral da patela. CONCLUSÃO: A combinação da ressonância magnética estática e ressonância magnética cinemática evidenciou que a força resultante lateral é maior na faixa de 20° e 30° de flexão, especialmente nos indivíduos sintomáticos, para a instabilidade femoropatelar.

Verifique sus conocimientos sobre técnicas de diagnóstico por la imagen en patología dental y maxilofacial

Esta entrega, que forma parte de una serie de Nursing sobre las pruebas complementarias, está dedicada a las técnicas de imagen para la exploración dental. La exploración y el diagnóstico se pueden llevar a cabo mediante diferentes modalidades diagnósticas. Las más habituales son la radiología convencional, la tomografía computarizada (TC) y la resonancia magnética (RM). Para facilitar a los profesionales de enfermería los recursos necesarios para satisfacer las demandas de información de los pacientes, es necesario un recorrido por estas técnicas, habituales en los diferentes ámbitos asistenciales. Desde el punto de vista de atención al paciente es útil poder explicar y despejar las dudas que se pudieran plantear respecto a la preparación, a la dinámica y, en general, al proceso diagnóstico.

Verifique sus conocimientos sobre técnicas de diagnóstico por la imagen en patología dental y maxilofacial

Esta entrega, que forma parte de una serie de Nursing sobre las pruebas complementarias, está dedicada a las técnicas de imagen para la exploración dental. La exploración y el diagnóstico se pueden llevar a cabo mediante diferentes modalidades diagnósticas. Las más habituales son la radiología convencional, la tomografía computarizada (TC) y la resonancia magnética (RM). Para facilitar a los profesionales de enfermería los recursos necesarios para satisfacer las demandas de información de los pacientes, es necesario un recorrido por estas técnicas, habituales en los diferentes ámbitos asistenciales. Desde el punto de vista de atención al paciente es útil poder explicar y despejar las dudas que se pudieran plantear respecto a la preparación, a la dinámica y, en general, al proceso diagnóstico.