Vildana Dzemidzic

Introduction: Impacted maxillary canines are among the most common orthodontic anomalies and often require comprehensive radiographic assessment for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. The KPG index is a CBCT-based three-dimensional classification system used to evaluate the severity of canine impaction. Aim: To assess the association between the KPG index and angular parameters (α and θ angles) in impacted maxillary canines. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 30 patients with impacted maxillary canines treated at the Department and Clinic of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Sarajevo. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans and panoramic radiographs were analyzed. The KPG index was determined from CBCT images, while α and θ angles were measured on panoramic radiographs. Correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between the KPG index and angular parameters. Results: The mean KPG index was 13.17 ± 7.29, the mean α angle was 32.93 ± 21.34°, and the mean θ angle was 53.87 ± 19.91°. A statistically significant moderate positive correlation was found between the KPG index and α angle (rs = 0.635, p < 0.001). No statistically significant association was observed between the KPG index and θ angle (rs = −0.234, p = 0.206). Conclusion: The α angle showed a significant positive association with the KPG index and may represent a useful adjunctive parameter in the assessment of impacted maxillary canines. In contrast, the θ angle was not significantly associated with impaction severity. Although panoramic radiographs provide valuable diagnostic information, CBCT-based three-dimensional imaging remains the gold standard for evaluating impacted maxillary canines and supporting orthodontic treatment planning.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of impacted canines among the orthodontic patients, and to examine the distribution of impactions in relation to gender (male vs. female), affected jaw (upper vs. lower), type of impaction (unilateral vs. bilateral) and affected side of the jaw (right vs. left). Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using digital panoramic radiographs of 3432 patients (1467 males and 1965 females) who attended the Department of Orthodontics, University of Sarajevo – Faculty of Dentistry with Dental Clinical Center. The radiographs were screened to determine the position of the canines, its angulation and relationship with adjacent teeth and surrounding structures. All data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and differences between categorical variables, (such as gender /male and female/, affected jaw /upper vs. lower/, type of impaction/unilateral vs. bilateral/, and affected side of the jaw /right vs. left/) were tested using the chi-squared and Z-test. Results: In the sample of orthodontic patients, impacted canines were found in 3.82% subjects. The prevalence was higher in females (2.24%) compared to males (1.57%). The majority of the impacted canines were unilateral (3.29%) compared to bilateral (0.52%). The ratio of maxillary to mandibular impaction was 17.714:1 in favor of maxillary impactions. Conclusion: Impacted canines were found in 131 out of 3432 patients (3.82%). Females (2.24%) demonstrated a higher impaction rate than males (1.57%). However, the difference was not statistically significant.

Background/Objectives: The relation between the orthopedic temporomandibular joint (TMJ) instability and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) most commonly remain unrecognized by orthodontists. In this study we aimed to evaluate the dentofacial characteristics and temporomandibular disorder symptomatology of patients with orthopedic instability before and after deprogramming with a stabilization splint. Methods: Sixty patients with the signs and symptoms of TMD were assessed using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) and underwent stabilization splint therapy to place the condyles in a more stable musculoskeletal position. The extent of condylar displacement was evaluated using the condylar position indicator (CPI). Sixteen angular and linear hard tissue landmarks were traced and compared from lateral cephalograms taken in the maximum intercuspation (MI) position before, and in the centric relation (CR) position after, the splint therapy. Results: Following the splint therapy, the signs and symptoms of TMD were significantly reduced or completely eliminated in more than 90% of patients. Compared with the values registered before the splint therapy, a significant reduction in the mean values of condylar displacement was observed on both sides of the vertical (p < 0.001), horizontal (p < 0.05), and transverse (p < 0.001) planes of space after the splint therapy. A comparison of pre- and post-splint lateral cephalograms revealed that, following the splint therapy, the mandible moved more posteriorly and rotated in a more clockwise direction. Conclusions: In patients with orthopedic instability and the signs and symptoms of TMD, muscle deprogramming with a stabilization splint therapy is highly recommended to improve the health of the temporomandibular joint and masticatory structures and contribute to a more correct orthodontic diagnosis.

Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of hypodontia and hyperdontia among a group of orthodontic patients.Materials and Methods. This cross sectional study was conducted using radiographs of 4256 patients (2032 males and 2224 females) who attended the Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Sarajevo. Radiographs were examined for the prevalence of hypodontia and hyperdontia in permanent dentition. Hypodontia was recorded when a tooth was absent on the panoramic radiograph and hyperdontia was recorded as an increased number of teeth above that described by normal dental formula. All data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequency and percentage, and differences between groups were tested using the χ2 test, or Fisher exact test.Results. In the sample of orthodontic patients, 4.08% subjects had a least one dental anomaly, hypodontia or hyperdontia. The observed prevalence of hypodontia was in 3.42% subjects, and it was more prevalent in females than in male subjects. The observed prevalence of hyperdontia was in 0.65% subjects and hyperdontia was more common in males than female subjects.Conclusions – By early diagnosis of a reduced or increased number of teeth, various modes of therapy with a multidisciplinary approach may be performed to correct the aesthetic and functional problems caused by hypodontia or hyperdontia.

Skeletal maturity assessment using mandibular canine calcification stages

This study was aimed to investigate the reliability of a computer application for assessment of the stages of cervical vertebra maturation in order to determine the stage of skeletal maturity. For this study, digital lateral cephalograms of 99 subjects (52 females and 47 males) were examined. The following selection criteria were used during the sample composition: age between 9 and 16 years, absence of anomalies of the vertebrae, good general health, no history of trauma at the cervical region. Subjects with lateral cephalograms of low quality were excluded from the study. For the purpose of this study a computer application Cephalometar HF V1 was developed. This application was used to mark the contours of the second, third and fourth cervical vertebrae on the digital lateral cephalograms, which enabled a computer to determine the stage of cervical vertebral maturation. The assessment of the stages of cervical vertebral maturation was carried out by an experienced orthodontist. The assessment was conducted according to the principles of the method proposed by authors Hassel and Farman. The degree of the agreement between the computer application and the researcher was analyzed using by statistical Cohen Kappa test. The results of this study showed the agreement between the computer assessment and the researcher assessment of the cervical vertebral maturation stages, where the value of the Cohen Kappa coefficient was 0.985. The computer application Cephalometar HF V1 proved to be a reliable method for assessing the stages of cervical vertebral maturation. This program could help the orthodontists to identify the stage of cervical vertebral maturation when planning the orthodontic treatment for the patients with skeletal disharmonies.