Background:
Restricted mouth opening is a common complaint in patients suffering from temporomandibular joint disorders, ankylosis, impaired masticatory muscle function, rheumatic disease, infection, or malignancy. As with any disease, the aim of treatment of disorders affecting mouth opening is to restore the mouth opening to its normal value. It is thus of paramount importance to determine the normal value.
Objective:
To establish the normal range of maximal incisal opening (MIO) in children aged 4 to 15 years and to investigate the correlation between MIO and age, gender, height, and body weight.
Materials and Methods:
Six hundred and two children from various schools in Bengaluru, India, participated in the study. The children were divided into the following age groups: 4–5, 6–7, 8–9, 10–11, 12–13, and 14–15 years. MIO for the children was recorded using Therabite
®
scale. The measurements of MIO were then correlated with gender, body weight, and height of the children in different age groups.
Results:
It was observed that MIO gradually increased with age with a mean MIO of 41.34 mm at 4–5 years to a mean MIO of 51.73 mm at 14–15 years. The mean MIO value for males (48.90 ± 6.49 mm) was found to be higher when compared to that of females (46.17 ± 5.58 mm). The results indicated a strong positive correlation of MIO with height and weight.
Conclusion:
MIO gradually increased with age in both the genders, and a strong positive correlation of MIO with height and weight was observed.
Introduction: Dental anxiety negatively affects patients’ oral and overall health. This study explored attitudes and clinical practices of licensed Bihar general dentists who treat patients with dental anxiety.
Methods: An anonymous self-administered mail survey was sent to 250 general dentists licensed and practicing in Bihar. Responses to 21 pre-coded questions were analysed. Frequencies were examined; cross-tabs, Chi-Square, and Fischer’s Exact Test were calculated for statements according to dentists’ gender. Alpha was set at p = 0.05.
Results: Nearly all respondents treated anxious patients; males were more likely to find it challenging than females. Dentists were most familiar with distraction, although half found Tell-show-do to be an effective tool. Female dentists were more likely than males to be
familiar with anxiolytics and find them effective.
Conclusion: Overall, Bihar general dentists are most familiar with using distraction and Tell-show-do during appointments for anxious patients. Gender differences exist in attitudes towards anxiolytic use for patients with dental anxiety. Practice Implications: By identifying techniques that are comfortable for patient and practitioner, oral health disparities associated with dental anxiety may be reduced.
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