Annals of Dental Specialty

2

Authors: Amit Kumar Tamrakar, Nadeem Yunus, Manu Rathee, Surekha Dabas

The primary goal of maxillofacial prosthodontics is to improve the quality of life of the individuals with maxillofacial defects. Maxillofacial defects may be divided into: a) defects due to congenital malformations and b) the acquired defects resulting from surgery for oral neoplasms or trauma. At times, even after surgical repair of large congenital defects, some minor defects may persist.

3

Authors: Lumbini Pathivada, Karthik Krishna Munagala, Aashima B Dang

Smartseal is a recently introduced root canal obturating system based on polymer technology. Its principle is based on the hydrophilic nature of the obturating points which can absorb surrounding moisture and expand resulting in filling of voids and spaces. Since, its introduction, Smartseal has been widely reported to be successfully used in endodontic therapy. This article aims to provide a brief overview of this product with a mention of a few related studies.

3

Authors: Mousumi Goswami Singh, Ashish A Sinha, Dakshita Joy Sinha, Pallavi Vashisth

The correction of class III malocclusion is a real challenge. The treatment of the condition should be initiated as soon as the condition is noticed. The bonded protraction appliance in conjunction with a facemask appliance is one of the ways of treating this condition. The case report presents one such case which was successfully treated using the appliance in tandem with a Petit reverse pull facemask.

3

Authors: Masood Hasan Khan, Parikshit Sharma, Asif Nafis Khan, Naveen Kumar

Gingival Enlargement is the most common adverse drug reaction in the young adults and children receiving phenytoin as antiepileptic therapy. Its management requires multidisciplinary approach ranging from simple oral hygiene maintenance to surgical intervention .Frequent recurrences are also seen if not properly treated. This case report documents a case of severe gingival enlargement in a patient under antiepileptic therapy, along with brief review of literature concerning etiopathogenesis and management of the problem. Dentists should be updated and aware of the causative agents of drug induced gingival enlargement and its clinical features in order to prevent, diagnose and successfully treat it.

4

Authors: Sandeep Singh Mayall, Priyanka Agarwal, Pallavi Vashisth

DNA fingerprinting is a tool used to un-reveal all the mysteries associated with the oral cavity and its manifestations during diseased conditions. The technical advances in molecular biology have propelled the analysis of the DNA into routine usage in crime laboratories for rapid and early diagnosis. As dental pulp is surrounded by dentin and enamel, which forms dental armor, it offers the best source of DNA for reliable genetic type in forensic science. Unlike a conventional fingerprint that occurs only on the fingertips and can be altered by surgery, a DNA fingerprint is the same for every cell, tissue, and organ of a person. It cannot be altered by any known treatment. Consequently, DNA fingerprinting is rapidly becoming the primary method for identifying and distinguishing among individual human beings. Forensic dental record comparison has been used for human identification in cases where destruction of bodily tissues or prolonged exposure to the environment has made other means of identification impractical, that is, after fire exposure or mass disaster. The currently available DNA tests have high reliability and are accepted as legal proofs in courts. This review involves the use of DNA for human identification, and makes an overview of the evolution of this technology in the last years, highlighting the importance of molecular biology in forensic sciences.

6

Authors: Manoj Kumar Jain, Sheetal Oswal K

Antibiotic therapy is an art and a science. There are so many confounding variables, such as suspected pathogen, ability to establish drainage, pharmacokinetic properties of the drug, mechanism of action of the antibiotic, virulence of the infection, the current health status of the host, and host defense mechanisms, that it is not possible to make antibiotic therapy into a mechanistic technologic science. The most important decision for the dental practitioner to make is not only which antibiotic to use but whether to use one at all. This article will discuss important factors to be kept in mind while prescribing antibiotics in dentistry.