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Tooth size ratios during orthodontic treatment for different arch length and arch perimeter groups need to be evaluated carefully.

Aims:To evaluate the self-perceived preparedness of final-year dental undergraduate students in dental public universities in Malaysia. Methods:Final-year dental undergraduate students from six dental public universities in Malaysia were invited to participate in an online study using a validated DentalUndergraduates Preparedness Assessment Scale DU-PAS. Results:In total, about 245 students responded to the online questionnaire yielding a response rate of 83.05%. The age range of the respondents was 23-29 years with a mean age of 24.36 (SD 0.797). The total score obtained by the respondents was ranged from 48 to 100 with a mean score of 79.56 (SD 13.495). Weaknesses were reported in several clinical skills, cognitive and behavioural attributes.

Osteoporosis is becoming a major health problem that is associated with increased fracture risk. Previous studies have shown that osteoporosis could delay fracture healing. Although there are potential agents available to promote fracture healing of osteoporotic bone such as statins and tocotrienol, studies on direct delivery of these agents to the fracture site are limited. This study was designed to investigate the effects of two potential agents, lovastatin and tocotrienol using targeted drug delivery system on fracture healing of postmenopausal osteoporosis rats. The fracture healing was evaluated using micro CT and biomechanical parameters. Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley female rats were divided into 6 groups. The first group was sham-operated (SO), while the others were ovariectomized (OVx). After two months, the right tibiae of all rats were fractured at metaphysis region using pulsed ultrasound and were fixed with plates and screws. The SO and OVxC groups were given two single injections of lovastatin and tocotrienol carriers. The estrogen group (OVx+EST) was given daily oral gavages of Premarin (64.5 µg/kg). The Lovastatin treatment group (OVx+Lov) was given a single injection of 750 µg/kg lovastatin particles. The tocotrienol group (OVx+TT) was given a single injection of 60 mg/kg tocotrienol particles. The combination treatment group (OVx+Lov+TT) was given two single injections of 750 µg/kg lovastatin particles and 60 mg/kg tocotrienol particles. After 4 weeks of treatment, the fractured tibiae were dissected out for micro-CT and biomechanical assessments. The combined treatment group (OVx+Lov+TT) showed significantly higher callus volume and callus strength than the OVxC group (p<0.05). Both the OVx+Lov and OVx+TT groups showed significantly higher callus strength than the OVxC group (p<0.05), but not for callus volume. In conclusion, combined lovastatin and tocotrienol may promote better fracture healing of osteoporotic bone.

In order to establish standard norms for the Pakistani population, we investigated the geomorphometrics of tooth size and arch dimension using a conventional digital caliper (DC) and a digital stereomicroscope (SM). The sample consisted of 128 subjects ranging in age from 18 to 24 years. A total of 44,155 variables were measured. Dental models of each subject for maxillary and mandibular arches were scanned via Hirox digital stereomicroscope for the fabrication of the digital models, and the geomorphometrics of tooth size and arch dimensions were measured via SM scanned digital models. All the measurements were also carried out via DC on plaster dental models. Sex differences and changes associated with methods were assessed, and interrelationships between different variables were explored within the study group. For the data obtained by DC and SM techniques, the men had significantly larger arch dimensions and geomorphometrics of tooth size than the women did. There were no significant disparities observed between the techniques. The developed norms for the mesiodistal, buccolingual, diagonal tooth sizes and arch dimension had significantly greater values for males in relation to females (*pd" 0.05 to ***pd" 0.001). This study has established a new reference database of tooth size and arch dimensions via both DC and digital SM for first time on Pakistani population. These norms will be helpful for clinical treatment planning in dentistry. Contemporaneously, the norms will be of great value to forensic dentists and dental anthropologists for making comparisons within and between different populations.

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