The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of progressive toothbrush wear on plaque control. At baseline (week 0), each of 20 subjects was given a new toothbrush which they used for the 9-week period of the study. At weeks 0, 3 and 6, all plaque was professionally removed. The amount of plaque which accumulated in each of the 3 successive 3-week experimental periods was assessed at weeks 3, 6 and 9. Toothbrush wear was evaluated by measuring the increase in the brushing surface area of toothbrushes at weeks 3, 6 and 9 as compared with week 0. The brushing surface area was measured by computer analysis of tracings of the brushing surface outlines obtained from standardized photographs. Despite progressive toothbrush wear, the amount of plaque which accumulated in each successive 3-week period decreased. The decrease in plaque scores between weeks 3 and 6 and between weeks 3 and 9 were found to be highly significant (p < 0.001). Toothbrush wear varied widely amongst the subjects. When plaque scores were evaluated for the 10 subjects with highest toothbrush wear, and the 10 with lowest wear, no significant differences were found between the 2 subgroups. Under the experimental conditions of this study, progressive toothbrush wear did not lead to a decrease in plaque control. The improvement in plaque scores may have been due to motivational effects resulting from study participation and anticipation of oral examinations. It was concluded that the wear status of a toothbrush may not be critical in ensuring optimal plaque control.

This study compared the treatment provided for patients with supernumerary teeth in Bristol Dental Hospital with those in Westmead Dental Hospital, Sydney, Australia. The records of 63 children referred for removal of a supernumerary tooth in Bristol and 96 children in Westmead were examined, involving a total of 215 supernumerary teeth. Differences in the treatment provided for these patients were found not only between the two centres but also within one centre. There appeared to be no standardised route by which these patients were seen and therefore no standardised pattern of treatment. Contact with all UK Dental Schools indicated that no formal treatment protocol existed for the treatment of children with supernumerary teeth. In addition, a permanent incisor associated with a conical supernumerary tooth was twice as likely to erupt spontaneously as one associated with a supernumerary of tuberculate form. The location of the supernumerary tooth also influenced the likelihood of spontaneous eruption of the associated permanent incisor. There is a need for a prospective randomised controlled trial in the future in order to develop a formal treatment protocol for the management of patients with supernumerary teeth. A multicentre trial is under development.

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We report an individual with the rare autosomal recessive condition known as hereditary mucoepithelial dysplasia. The diagnosis was based on clinical features and characteristic ultrastructural changes in oral mucosal biopsy specimens.

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