Further modification of either method is indicated for dental age estimation among the Malay population.

Objective: To test the null hypothesis that there is no difference in facial profile shape, malocclusion class, or palatal morphology in Malay adults with and without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Materials and Methods: Subjects were 120 adult Malays aged 18 to 65 years (mean Ϯ standard deviation [SD], 33.2 Ϯ 13.31) divided into two groups of 60. Both groups underwent clinical examination and limited channel polysomnography (PSG). The mean OSA and control values were subjected to t-test and the chi square test. Results: Physical examination showed that 61.7% of the OSA patients were obese, and 41.7% of those obese patients had severe OSA. The mean body mass index (BMI) was significantly greater for the OSA group (33.2 kg/m 2 Ϯ 6.5) than for the control group (22.7 kg/m 2 Ϯ 3.5; P Ͻ .001). The mean neck size and systolic blood pressure were greater for the OSA group (43.6 cm Ϯ 6.02; 129.1 mm Hg Ϯ 17.55) than for the control group (35.6 cm Ϯ 3.52; 114.1 mm Hg Ϯ 13.67; P Ͻ .001). Clinical examination showed that the most frequent findings among OSA groups when compared with the control group were convex profiles (71.7%), Class II malocclusion (51.7%), and V palatal shape (53.3%), respectively; the chi square test revealed a significant difference in terms of facial profile and malocclusion class (P Ͻ .05), but no significant difference in palatal shape was found. Conclusion:The null hypothesis is rejected. A convex facial profile and Class II malocclusion were significantly more common in the OSA group. The V palatal shape was a frequent finding in the OSA group. (Angle Orthod. 2010;80:37-42.)

No abstract

There was evidence for subtle upper spinal anomalies in the infant cleft lip and palate population. Our finding of reduced size of some cervical vertebral bodies may reflect delayed upper spinal development in infants with cleft lip and palate.

Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of bone texture fractal dimension (FD) analysis method in predicting implant stability from intraoral periapical radiographs using two implant protocols. Materials and Methods A double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 22 subjects who needed dental implants. The participants were randomized into two groups, the control group with standard implant protocol treatment and the intervention group with added low-intensity power ultrasound treatment (LIPUS) besides the standard implant protocol. The FD values of bone density were carried out on the mesial and distal sides of the implant on digital intraoral radiographs using the box-counting method. Both resonance frequency (RF) and fractal dimension (FD) were assessed in three time intervals: after surgery and before and after loading. Results FD on both the mesial and distal sides serve as very good-to-excellent tests with high validity (ROC area exceeding 0.8) in predicting high implant stability (ISQ ≥ 70). The mesial side measurements were consistently better than the distal side among the intervention groups. The optimum cutoff value for the FD-mesial side that predicts a highly stable implant (ISQ ≥ 70) is ≥1.505. At this optimum cutoff value, the mesial side FD is associated with a perfect sensitivity (100%) and fairly high specificity (86.5%). Conclusion The FD analysis could be recommended as an adjunctive quantitative method in prediction of the implant stability with very high sensitivity and specificity. This trial is registered with ISRCTN72648040.

Objective:The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the two scanning electron microscope (SEM) preparation protocols and determine the better SEM preparation technique to study stem cells on human amniotic membrane (hAM) scaffold.Materials and Methods:Formaldehyde-based protocol and glutaraldehyde-based protocol were compared to evaluate the quality of SEM images for stem cells cultured on hAM scaffold.Results:The results suggested that formaldehyde-based protocol is better than glutaraldehyde-based protocol in terms of showing clearer topography of the membrane as well as the boarders of the cells. To provide intact surface of the SEM sample and avoid possible ruptures of the hAM or the thin cell layer, it is recommended to perform the dehydration step using graded alcohol concentrations of 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, and 90%, one time for each and twice in 100% for 10 min each. Gold sputter-coating step is not recommended as it does not improve the image quality.Conclusions:To obtain clear SEM images, it is recommended to run a preliminary study to determine the better chemicals and conditions of sample preparation even when following preexisting protocols.

Craniofacial obesity in the bucco-submandibular regions is associated with OSA and may provide valuable screening information for the identification of patients with undiagnosed OSA.

Photogrammetry is a non‐contact, high‐accuracy, practical and cost‐effective technique for a large number of medical applications. Lately, three‐dimensional (3D) laser scanning and digital imaging technology have raised the importance of digital photogrammetry technology to a new height in craniofacial mapping. Under the support of the Eighth Malaysian Development Plan, the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (MOSTE) Malaysia allocated a grant to establish procedures for the development of a national craniofacial spatial database to assist the medical profession to provide better health services to the public. To populate the database with normal and abnormal (malformation, diseased and trauma and burn victims) craniofacial information, it is necessary to evaluate the technology needed to capture the essential data of craniofacial features. The paper provides a discussion on the basic features of the spatial data and the data capture techniques. Both are needed for the establishment of a national spatial craniofacial database. The discussion includes a brief review of the current status of two selected high‐accuracy craniofacial spatial data capture techniques, namely, digital photogrammetry and 3D laser scanning. The paper highlights a system which has been developed for a Malaysian craniofacial mapping project. Laboratory tests with mannequins showed that the photogrammetric and 3D laser scanning system could achieve an accuracy exceeding the design specification of ±0·7 mm (one standard deviation) for all the measured craniofacial distances. However, tests with two living subjects showed that the accuracy was in the order of ±1·2 mm because of facial movement during data capture.