Molar-incisor malformation (MIM) is a recently described dental anomaly characterized by root malformation in permanent first molars accompanied sometimes by abnormal root forms in primary second molars or enamel defects in maxillary central incisors. This report presents three cases of MIM along with a review of previous studies. Three patients exhibited abnormal root forms in the permanent first molars, with varying degrees of deformation. Two of the patients experienced medical events at birth. One of the patients was a monozygotic twin, whose twin sister exhibited normal dentition without any significant abnormalities. The present report also reviews recently reported cases of MIM in literature. In the management of MIM-associated clinical issues, consideration of microscopic features and accompanying characteristics might facilitate early diagnosis and comprehensive treatment planning.

Smartphone education with schema based assignment proved to be attractive in dental radiology, but students showed less satisfaction, and need to meet the requirements of evidence-based practice. Although the full use of smartphone education with schema is not recommended in dental education, we think that it could be try to use as a supplementary approach with traditional didactic method to facilitate student's exploration and self-study to cope with rapid change in educational environment.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the skeletal and dental maturity according to the vertical facial type and sex in Korean children in the developmental stage. In total, 184 participants aged 8 - 14 years were selected and divided into three groups based on the mandibular plane angle. For the comparison between the sexes, the three groups were each divided into male and female subgroups. The skeletal and dental maturity were assessed using lateral cephalograms, hand-wrist radiographs and panoramic radiographs. The vertical growth group showed significantly greater cervical vertebral and hand-wrist maturity than that in the horizontal growth group. Dental maturity was the highest in the vertical growth group. Girls showed greater skeletal maturity than boys, and no distinct difference was observed between the dental maturity of the sexes. Analysis of the vertical facial type in children can provide ancillary indicators that may help determine the optimal timing for orthodontic treatment initiation. Earlier initiation of orthodontic treatment may be considered for patients with vertical facial growth patterns.

No abstract

This study assessed the association between ectopic eruption of the maxillary first permanent molar and skeletal malocclusion in 5-to 10-year-old children. As subjects, 786 children who attended the Wonkwang University Dental Hospital for orthodontic diagnosis were included. Children with unerupted first permanent molars or fully erupted second permanent molars were excluded. The study group demonstrated ectopic eruption of the maxillary first permanent molar, while the control group did not. Cephalometric radiographs taken between January 2003 and August 2015 were analyzed. Skeletal class III malocclusion was detected in 57.0% of the study group, which differed significantly from that in the control group (p＜0.05). The SNA, ANB angles, and A to N-perpendicular distance were significantly smaller, whereas the A-B plane angle and APDI were significantly greater in the study group than in the control group (p＜0.05). The SNB and mandibular plane angles were not significantly different between the groups. Thus, maxillary undergrowth is a risk factor for ectopic eruption of the maxillary first permanent molar.