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Treatment is only required if the occlusion or bite of the person is compromised and causing other dental problems. Multiple long-term clinical problems can arise such as occlusal interferences, aesthetic disturbances, loss of pulp vitality, irritation of tongue during mastication and speech, caries and displacement of the affected tooth. Most people with talon cusp will live their normal lives unless the case is severe and causes a cascade of other dental issues that lead to additional health problems. This dental anomaly would not be considered fatal. Generally talon cusps on lower teeth require no treatment, but talon cusps on upper teeth may interfere with the bite mechanics and may need to be removed or reduced.
Small talon cusps that produce no symptoms or complication for a person can remain untreated. However large talon cusps should not.
Some common treatments include:
- Fissure sealing
- Composite resin restoration
- Reduction of cusp
- Pulpotomy
- Root canal (endodontic treatment)
- Extraction
The condition is usually benign, but it can cause mild irritation to soft tissues around the teeth and the tongue, and if large enough, may pose an aesthetic problem. Talon cusps that are too large are filed down with a motorized file, and then endodontic therapy is administered.
In order to prevent any future dental complications, when talon cusp is present due to an early diagnosis it would be best to see a dentist regularly every six months for routine dental checkups, remain under observation, brush and floss properly and undergo regular topical applications of fluoride gel to prevent caries and to promote enamel strength.
The treatment aims are to eliminate the bacteria from the exposed surface of the root(s) and to establish the anatomy of the tooth, so that better plaque control can be achieved. Treatment plans for patients differ depending on the local and anatomical factors.
For Grade I furcation, scaling and polishing, root surface debridement or furcationplasty could be done if suitable.
For Grade II furcation, furcationplasty, open debridement, tunnel preparation, root resection, extraction, guided tissue regeneration (GTR) or enamel matrix derivative could be considered.
As for Grade III furcation, open debridement, tunnel preparation, root resection, GTR or tooth extraction could be performed if appropriate.
Tooth extraction is usually considered if there is extensive loss of attachment or if other treatments will not obtain good result (i.e. achieving a nice gingival contour to allow good plaque control).
Tongue crib is a removable applianced placed in the maxillary arch for the purpose of stopping the tongue thrusting habit. This appliance maybe used in patients with mixed dentition or permanent dentition. Tongue crib is attached through a bar to two bands placed on the upper 1st molars. The crib is shaped like a horseshoe with metal bars that prevent the thrusting habit. Tongue crib is known to eliminate habits in about 90% of the patients. (citation needed). Huang et al. published a study in 1990 which stated that patients who achieved a positive overbite during their tongue crib therapy had a good chance of maintaining that overbite after their orthodontic treatment. They credited this change to a change in the posterior positioning of the tongue due to the crib therapy.
Some of the side-effects of using a tongue-crib therapy is that this appliance may trap a lot of food which may cause inflammation around the appliance. In addition, repeated contact of tongue with the appliance may also lead to an imprint on the tongue which will self-resolve once the appliance is removed. It is important to note that this type of therapy will only work in patients who do not have a skeletal open bite tendency. Skeletal open bite tendency may be addressed via surgery or other treatments depending on the severity.
If cause-specific measures are insufficient, soft-tissue graft surgery may be used to create more gingiva. The tissue used may be autologous tissue from another site in the patient's mouth, or it can be freeze-dried tissue products or synthetic membranes. New research is focused on using stem cells to culture the patients' own gums to replace receded gums.
It's a type of appliance which is similar to Nance appliance, but instead of acrylic pad that rests on the anterior palate, this appliance has a plastic roller that patient can use their tongue to break their habit. This appliance is banded to the upper 1st molars and bars extend the appliance to anterior palate where the plastic roller is placed.
All impacted teeth, unless otherwise contraindicated, are considered for surgical removal. Thus, dental extractions will often take place. The type of extraction (simple or surgical) often depends on the location of the teeth.
In some cases, for aesthetic purposes, a surgeon may wish to expose the canine. This may be achieved through open or closed exposure. Studies show no advantage of one method over another.
The primary aim of treatment of a newly formed oroantral communication is to prevent the development of an oroantral fistula as well as chronic sinusitis. The decision on how to treat OAC/OAF depends on various factors. Small size communications between 1 and 2 mm in diameter, if uninfected, are likely to form a clot and heal by itself later. Communications larger than this require treatments to close the defect and these interventions can be categorised into 3 types: surgical, non-surgical and pharmacological.
Depending on the shape of the gum recession and the levels of bone around the teeth, areas of gum recession can be regenerated with new gum tissue using a variety of gum grafting "periodontal plastic surgery" procedures performed by a specialist in periodontics (a periodontist). These procedures are typically completed under local anesthesia with or without conscious sedation, as the patient prefers. This may involve repositioning of adjacent gum tissue to cover the recession (called a pedicle graft) or use of a free graft of gingival or connective tissue from the roof of the mouth (called a "free gingival graft" or a Subepithelial connective tissue graft). Alternatively, a material called acellular dermal matrix (processed donated human skin allograft) may be used instead of tissue from the patient's own palate.
Medications may be needed as an adjunct to assist the closure of the defect. Antibiotics can help control or prevent any sinus infections. Preoperative nasal decongestants usage can reduce any existing sinus inflammation which will aid surgical manipulation of the mucosa over the bone.
Literature states that very few crossbites tend to self-correct which often justify the treatment approach of correcting these bites as early as possible. Only 0–9% of crossbites self-correct. Lindner et al. reported that in a 50% of crossbites were corrected in 76 four year old children.
A child with posterior crossbite should be treated immediately if the child shifts his mandible on closing which is often seen in a unilateral crossbite as mentioned above. The best age to treat a child with crossbite is in their mixed dentition when their palatal sutures have not fused to each other. Palatal expansion allows more space in an arch to relieve crowding and correct posterior crossbite. The correction can include any type of palatal expanders that will expand the palate which resolves the narrow constriction of the maxilla. There are several therapies that can be used to correct a posterior crossbite: braces, 'Z' spring or cantilever spring, quad helix, removable plates, clear aligner therapy, or a Delaire mask. The correct therapy should be decided by the orthodontist depending on the type and severity of the crossbite.
One of the keys in diagnosing the anterior crossbite due to skeletal vs dental causes is diagnosing a CR-CO shift in a patient. An adolescent presenting with anterior crossbite may be positioning their mandible forward into centric occlusion (CO) due to the dental interferences. Thus finding their occlusion in centric relation (CR) is key in diagnosis. For anterior crossbite, if their CO matches their CR then the patient truly has a skeletal component to their crossbite. If the CR shows a less severe class 3 malocclusion or teeth not in anterior crossbite, this may mean that their anterior crossbite results due to dental interferences.
Goal to treat unilateral crossbites should definitely include removal of occlusal interferences and elimination of the functional shift. Treating posterior crossbites early may help prevent the occurrence of Temporomandibular joint pathology.
Unilateral crossbites can also be diagnosed and treated properly by using a Deprogramming splint. This splint has flat occlusal surface which causes the muscles to deprogram themselves and establish new sensory engrams. When the splint is removed, a proper centric relation bite can be diagnosed from the bite.
Also called myofunctional therapy, the basic treatment aims of orofacial myofunctional therapist is to reeducate the movement of muscles, restore correct swallowing patterns, and establish adequate labial-lingual postures. An interdisciplinary nature of treatment is always desirable to reach functional goals in terms of swallowing, speech, and other esthetic factors. A team approach has been shown to be effective in correcting orofacial myofunctional disorders. The teams include an orthodontist, dental hygienist, certified orofacial myologist, general dentist, otorhinolaryngologist, and a speech-language pathologist.
There is no universally accepted treatment strategy, but, generally, treatments aim to prevent movement of the segments of the involved tooth so they do not move or flex independently during biting and grinding and so the crack is not propagated.
- Stabilization (core buildup) (a composite bonded restoration placed in the tooth or a band is placed around the tooth to minimize flexing)
- Crown restoration (to do the same as above but more permanently and predictably)
- Root Canal therapy (if pain persists after above)
- Extraction
A maxillary torus is only removed in instances where it is problematic. This includes cases where in an edentulous patient, it extends to the vibrating line, preventing a posterior seal of the denture and posterior seal at the fovea palatinae. Other indications for removal include frequent trauma to the torus, owing to its size or the thinness of the mucoperiosteum overlying it, disturbance of speech, and rapid growth in patients who are cancer-phobic.
Larger tonsil stones may require removal by curettage (scooping) or otherwise, although thorough irrigation will still be required afterwards to effectively wash out smaller pieces. Larger lesions may require local excision, although these treatments may not completely help the bad breath issues that are often associated with this condition.
Another option is to decrease the surface area (crypts, crevices, etc.) of the tonsils via laser resurfacing. The procedure is called laser cryptolysis. It can be performed using a local anesthetic. A scanned carbon dioxide laser selectively vaporizes and smooths the surface of the tonsils. This technique flattens the edges of the crypts and crevices that collect the debris, preventing trapped material from forming stones.
When the appearance is caused by heat, the lesion is usually completely reversible within a few weeks if the smoking habit is stopped. This is the case even if the condition has been present for decades. Without stopping smoking, spontaneous remission of the lesion is unlikely. If the lesion persists despite stopping smoking, this is usually then considered to be a true leukoplakia rather than a reactionary keratotis, and may trigger the decision to carry out a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. Since this condition almost always develops in the setting of long term heavy smoking, it usually indicates the need for regular observation for cancers associated with smoking, e.g. lung cancer.
There are varying types of intervention for ankyloglossia. Horton "et al.," have a classical belief that people with ankyloglossia can compensate in their speech for limited tongue range of motion. For example, if the tip of the tongue is restricted for making sounds such as /n, t, d, l/, the tongue can compensate through dentalization; this is when the tongue tip moves forward and up. When producing /r/, elevation of the mandible can compensate for restriction of tongue movement. Also, compensations can be made for /s/ and /z/ by using the dorsum of the tongue for contact against the palatal rugae. Thus, Horton "et al." proposed compensatory strategies as a way to counteract the adverse effects of ankyloglossia and did not promote surgery. Non-surgical treatments for ankyglossia are typically performed by Orofacial Myology specialists, and involve using exercises to strengthen and improve the function of the facial muscles and thus promote proper function of the face, mouth and tongue
Intervention for ankyloglossia does sometimes include surgery in the form of frenotomy (also called a frenectomy or frenulectomy) or frenuloplasty. This relatively common dental procedure may be done with soft-tissue lasers, such as the CO laser. However, authors such as Horton "et al." are in opposition to it. According to Lalakea and Messner, surgery can be considered for patients of any age with a tight frenulum, as well as a history of speech, feeding, or mechanical/social difficulties. Adults with ankyloglossia may elect the procedure. Some of those who have done so report post-operative pain.
A viable alternative to surgery for children with ankyloglossia is to take a wait-and-see approach. Ruffoli "et al." report that the frenulum naturally recedes during the process of a child's growth between six months and six years of age;
Aetiology of CTS is multifactorial, the causative factors include:
- previous restorative procedures.
- occlusal factors
- developmental conditions/anatomical considerations.
- trauma
- others, e.g, aging dentition or presence of lingual tongue studs.
Most commonly involved teeth are mandibular molars followed by maxillary premolars, maxillary molars and maxillary premolars. in a recent audit, mandibular first molar thought to be most affected by CTS possibly due to the wedging effect of opposing pointy, protruding maxillary mesio-palatal cusp onto the mandibular molar central fissure.
A craniofacial team is routinely used to treat this condition. The majority of hospitals still use craniofacial teams; yet others are making a shift towards dedicated cleft lip and palate programs. While craniofacial teams are widely knowledgeable about all aspects of craniofacial conditions, dedicated cleft lip and palate teams are able to dedicate many of their efforts to being on the cutting edge of new advances in cleft lip and palate care.
Many of the top pediatric hospitals are developing their own CLP clinics in order to provide patients with comprehensive multi-disciplinary care from birth through adolescence. Allowing an entire team to care for a child throughout their cleft lip and palate treatment (which is ongoing) allows for the best outcomes in every aspect of a child's care. While the individual approach can yield significant results, current trends indicate that team based care leads to better outcomes for CLP patients. .
Cleft lip and palate is very treatable; however, the kind of treatment depends on the type and severity of the cleft.
Most children with a form of clefting are monitored by a "cleft palate team" or "craniofacial team" through young adulthood. Care can be lifelong. Treatment procedures can vary between craniofacial teams. For example, some teams wait on jaw correction until the child is aged 10 to 12 (argument: growth is less influential as deciduous teeth are replaced by permanent teeth, thus saving the child from repeated corrective surgeries), while other teams correct the jaw earlier (argument: less speech therapy is needed than at a later age when speech therapy becomes harder). Within teams, treatment can differ between individual cases depending on the type and severity of the cleft.
Future studies will look further into the relationship of talon cusp and Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome and other oral-facial-digital syndromes. A former study showed a direct correlation in which 45 affected patients with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, 92% of these patients had talon cusp. Other researchers are attempting to trace talon cusp to ancestors and comparing dentition to modern humans. Another study done in 2007 examined the dentition of 301 Native American Indian skeletons for the presence or absence of talon cusp. The results showed five skeletons (2 percent) in the population had the trait.
In 2011, only 21 cases of talon cusp have been reported and are in literature. It appears that as of 2014 and 2015, additional research continues in hopes of finding the cause and mechanism of talon cusp. With the majority of cases of talon cusp being unreported, it remains difficult to conduct tests, come up with conclusions, conduct surgery and perform research with small numbers.
Prostheses are used for nonsurgical closure in a situation of velopharyngeal dysfunction. There are two types of prosthesis: the speech bulb and the palatal lift prosthesis. The speech bulb is an acrylic body that can be placed in the velopharyngeal port and can achieve obstruction. The palatal lift prosthesis is comparable with the speech bulb, but with a metal skeleton attached to the acrylic body. This will also obstruct the velopharyngeal port. It is a good option for patients that have enough tissue but a poor control of the coordination and timing of velopharyngeal movement. It is also used in patients with contraindications for surgery. It has also been used as a reversible test to confirm whether a surgical intervention would help.
The adaptation from nasal to mouth breathing takes pace when changes such as chronic middle ear infections, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, upper airway infections, and sleep disturbances (e.g., snoring) take place. In addition, mouth breathing is often associated with a decrease in oxygen intake into the lungs. Mouth breathing can particularly affect the growing face, as the abnormal pull of these muscle groups on facial bones slowly deforms these bones, causing misalignment. The earlier in life these changes take place, the greater the alterations in facial growth, and ultimately an open mouth posture is created where the upper lip is raised and the lower jaw is maintained in an open posture. The tongue, which is normally tucked under the roof of the mouth, drops to the floor of the mouth and protrudes to allow a greater volume of air intake. Consequently, an open mouth posture can lead to malocclusions and problems in swallowing. Other causes of open-mouth posture are weakness of lip muscles, overall lack of tone in the body or hypotonia, and prolonged/chronic allergies of the respiratory tract. A.union
Dens evaginatus is a condition found in teeth where the outer surface appears to form an extra bump or cusp. Premolars are more likely to be affected than any other tooth. This may be seen more frequently in Asians, but almost exclusively in Down Syndrome. The pulp of the tooth may extend into the dens evaginatus. There is a risk of the dens evaginatus chipping off in normal function. Hence this condition requires monitoring as the tooth can lose its blood and nerve supply as a result and may need root canal treatment.