KJC Korea
Journal Central

There still remains a controversial debate whether facial skeletal morphological differences exist between patients with nasal and mouth breathing habits. The aim of this study is to assess a relationship between over a period of time mouth breathing and facial skeletal morphology by analyzing lateral cephalometric radiographs of patients with nasal or mouth breathing habits. A total of 120 patients with skeletal class I, II, and III, who had undergone orthodontic diagnosis in department of pediatric dentistry - chonbuk national university, were chosen and their lateral cephalometric radiographs were analyzed. These patients were divided into six groups of 20, each with or without mouth breathing habits. The result of this study has not showed noticeable differences in cephalometric measurements between nasal and mouth breathing children of skeletal class I, II, and III (p > 0.05). However, when the groups were divided by age factor, mouth breathers of age 12 and older showed significant differences in cephalometrics such as decreased ramus height, maxillary retrusion, and clockwise pattern of mandible than children under age 12 (p <0.05). In conclusion, a longer period of mouth-breathing habits in children displayed a greater chance of impaired facial growth.

The treatment pattern of pediatric dentistry has been changing recently, because of so many socioeconomic changes such as decrease of birth rates and prevalence of caries. The purpose of this study is to recognize the changing patterns in pediatric dental treatment and to help predict future direction for pediatric dentistry. Patients distribution and treatment pattern were examined in all new patients of the department of pediatric dentistry, Chosun University Dental Hospital and two pediatric local clinics in Gwang-ju, from 2005 to 2010. The number of new patients in recent 5 years has been increasing. There was a higher ratio of male patients. Age distribution has shown the percentage of 3~4 age group was highest. The hospital visit rate to Chosun University Dental Hospital was high, whereas the visit rate for local clinics was low. Dental caries showed the highest percentage in chief complaints, oral examinations have increased. The percentage of restoration treatment was highest, fluoride treatment had increased. In restorative treatment, the percentage of resin and GIC restoration was highest and amalgam restoration has decreased. The percentage of sedation treatment was decreased a little, Chosun University Dental Hospital showed a higher rate than local clinics.

There are orthodontic treatment which involves tooth movements and orthopedic treatment which involves skeletal movement. In childhood and adolescence, especially for the treatment of orthopedic treatment, the evaluation of bone maturity and growth potential is very important. The purpose of this study is to assess the developmental stage and to compare the amount of mandibular growth with cephalometric radiographs and hand-wrist radiograph in 6 to 13-year-old children with normal occlusion. The results are as follows :SMI and CVM showed a significant correlation (p < 0.05). Ar-Go, Co-Go, N-Go, S-Gn, N-Me, Co-Gn, Go-Me,Go-Gn increased with increasing maturity of hand-wrist and Ar-Go, Co-Go, N-Go, S-Gn, N-Me, Co-Gn, Go-Me, Go-Gn increased with increasing maturity of cervical vertebrae maturation. Also Ar-Go, Co-Go, N-Go, SGn,N-Me, Co-Gn, Go-Me, Go-Gn showed a significant correlation with each of the cervical vertebrae maturation stages and hand-wrist maturation stages (p < 0.05). These results suggested that mandibular growth had a significant correlation with cervical vertebrae maturation stages and hand-wrist maturation stages.

The aim of this study was to compare two commercial root canal medicaments, ProRoot MTA (Dentsply Tulsa, USA) and OrthoMTA (Bio MTA, Korea), by assessing the antimicrobial effects on three selected species commonly found in root canals of infected teeth, namely Enterococcus faecalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Colonies of these bacteria were treated with varied concentrations of ProRoot MTA or OrthoMTA over different lengths of time. The results are as follows :50, 25 and 12.5 mg/mL of ProRoot MTA or OrthoMTA did not completely inhibit the growth of E. faecalis,but a decreased growth rate was evident in comparison to the control (p < 0.05). 50 mg/mL of both materials successfully eliminated F. nucleatum during the first 24 hours. Regrowth of microbes after 24 hours, however,indicated a diminished effect of ProRoot MTA whereas OrthoMTA showed its continuously sustained antimicrobial actions (p < 0.05). 50 mg/mL of ProRoot MTA and 50, 25 mg/mL of OrthoMTA exerted their full antibacterial actions against S. epidermidis during the first 24 hours. Although the regrowth of colony was observed after 24 hours, the rate of growth was significantly decreased, approximating a complete inhibition (p < 0.05). The present study revealed that OrthoMTA, recently developed in Korea, had antimicrobial activity higher than ProRoot MTA.

The purpose of this study was to understand the change of demands in young patients and to suggest a directional shift for the pediatric dental practitioners who are facing these changes. This study collected data on new patients who had visited Chonnam National University Dental Hospital, Department of Pediatric Dentistry from 2003 to 2010 and the researchers were able to find out the following information. Total number of dental visits has been increasing since 2009 and 2010, which includes an increase of male patients in the 13~15 years age group showed significant increase and that in the 3~4 years age group showed a significant decrease. December showed the largest number of total dental visits, of which 69.6% of newly visit patients were living in Gwang-ju. Patients who had systemic diseases were 10.7% of total newly visit patients and 19.1% of patients received sedative treatment. Considering the chief complaints of new patients, 36% of patients visited because of dental caries. Regarding the dental treatment of patients, 38.4% had restoration treatment in 2003 and 30.4% had restoration treatment in 2010.

The aim of this study was to compare the compressive strength and the surface microhardness of Beautifil flow (Shofu, Kyoto, Japan) with Filtek^TM Z350, Z350XT (3M ESPE, USA). Fifteen specimens from each material were fabricated for testing. Compressive strength was measured by using a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. Surface microhardness values were measured by using Vickers hardness tester under 4.9 N load and 10 seconds dwelling time. The compressive strength of Group 2 Filtek^TM Z350XT shows the highest value as 218.7 ± 18.4 MPa and Group 1 Filtek^TM Z350 was 205.5 ± 27.1 MPa. Group 3 Beautifil flow F00 was 176.5 ± 30.3 MPa, and Group 4 Beautifil flow F10 was 173.4 ± 26.2 MPa. The compressive strength of Group 2 is higher than Group 3 and 4(p < 0.05). The surface microhardness of Group 2 Filtek^TM Z350XT shows the highest value as 39.1 ± 2.1 and Group 4Beautifil flow F10 was 27.9 ± 1.8. And Group 3 Beautifil flow F00 was 23.1 ± 1.1, Group 1 Filtek^TM Z350 was 20.4 ± 0.9. There was a statistical significant difference in surface microhardness between all groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the compressive strength of giomer was below the level of flowable composite resin. However,the surface microhardness of giomer is comparable to that of flowable composite resin. Giomer would be the good alternative to composite resin, if there is improvement of the compressive strength of giomer.

Infraocclusion is defined as tooth whose relative occlusal movement was blocked during the period of active eruption due to ankylosis and so on. Then infraoccluded tooth remains under the occlusal plane composed by adjacent structures showing normal eruption patterns. Untreated infraocclusion may cause: prolonged retention of infraoccluded teeth; extrusion of apposed teeth;destruction of periodontal tissues by occlusal force and food packing; increased sensitivity for dental caries; and disturbances on eruption pathway of succedaneous teeth. Therefore, periodic check-ups and proper treatments are required. There are many treatment options on infraoccluded deciduous molars such as periodic observation, conservative method, restoration and space regaining with extraction of the teeth. The choice of treatment may depend on the presence of succedaneous teeth, time of diagnosis and degree of infraocclusion. In this case report, three patients showing displacement of the second premolars due to infraocclusion of upper second primary molars, were treated by means of space regaining with removable orthodontic appliances and extraction of ankylosed primary molars. All malpositioned permanent premolars in the 3 cases showed ordinary eruption pathways after treatment.

The vitality of immature tooth could be lost by dental caries, trauma and fracture of malformed tooth. The vitality loss might lead to halt of the development of the root. The recommended endodontic treatment for a nonvital immature permanent tooth is apexification. Apexification is a method of inducing apical closure through the formation of mineralized tissue in the apical pulp region. Calcium hydroxide is the material of choice for apexification. Long-term exposure to calcium hydroxide may form the apical hard tissue, but weaken the dentin due to its alkaline nature and thus make the roots more susceptible to fracture. It is important to preserve any weakened tooth, so a permanent restoration is needed to reinforce teeth that are prone to fracture. The purpose of this case report was to describe the treatment for reinforcing immature teeth treated with long-term calcium hydroxide. In these cases, the apexes of teeth were sealed with MTA plugs and the root canals were restored with composite resin and fiber post.

Tooth impaction is defined as a failure of tooth eruption resulting from the physical obstacles in the eruption path or the abnormal position of the tooth germ. Impaction of mandibular second molar is relatively rare, and it may incite pathologic conditions such as dental caries, periodontitis, or root resorption of adjacent first molar. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment is recommended. In the first case, a 10-year-old male patient, was treated by brass wire to separate the bilaterally impacted mandibular second molars. In the second case, a 12-year-old female patient, was treated with Humphrey appliance for impacted mandibular left second molar, which was detected during a periodical dental examination. In the third case, a 17-year-old female patient with impacted mandibular right second molar, was treated by uprighting spring with mini-implant anchorage around premolar area. In the last case, an 18-year-old male patient,was treated with mini-implant placed on the ramus of mandible connected to the orthodontic buttons bonded on impacted mandibular left second molar by elastic thread.

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) is a disorder which is caused by the defect of the lysosomal enzyme that is essentially needed for resolution of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Metabolite of GAGs will accumulate in the lysosome of cells and will result in the dysfunction of cells, tissues, and organs. Eventually, patients will manifest both mental retardation and physical disorders. In worst cases, mucopolysaccharidosis can cause premature death. The current clinical types have been classified as MPS from type I to type IX according to the defect of certain enzyme. The dental complications have been reported as delay of eruption, enamel hypoplasia, microdontia,malocclusion, condylar defects, gingival hyperplasia and dentigerous cystlike follicle. This clinical report presents the case of a boy with MPS type II, Hunter Syndrome which has various dental complications.