RESUMEN
The occlusal status of Venda school children of the town of Thohoyandou, and of a rural community in the Tshikundamalema district was determined. This comparison made it possible to eliminate racial differences as a contributing factor to malocclusions. The occlusal index of Summers was used to determine the occlusal status of 342 subjects. Positive O.I. scores were obtained for 78.9 per cent of the subjects. Twenty-eight per cent of the children required orthodontic treatment and 12 per cent treatment of a specialised nature with fixed appliances. Syndrome D (tooth displacement) occurred in 42 per cent of those requiring treatment. Class I molar relationships were seen in 96.8 per cent. The difference in positive O.I. scores between urban and rural children was highly significant (p < 0.01). The mean O.I. scores also differed significantly (p < 0.05) between the two communities. A highly significant difference (p = 0.0002) in orthodontic treatment needs was also demonstrated between urban and rural children. This study shows that environmental factors and extraction of teeth in areas where a comprehensive dental service is not available could contribute to malocclusion.
Asunto(s)
Oclusión Dental , Población Rural , Población Urbana , Adolescente , Distribución por Edad , Niño , Femenino , Humanos , Registro de la Relación Maxilomandibular , Masculino , Maloclusión/clasificación , Maloclusión/etnología , Población Rural/estadística & datos numéricos , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Sudáfrica/epidemiología , Estadísticas no Paramétricas , Población Urbana/estadística & datos numéricosRESUMEN
There is an increased demand for orthodontic treatment in South Africa and the general practitioner is showing increasing interest in implementing orthodontic treatment in private practice. The present study investigated the scope of orthodontics undertaken by the private practitioner in South Africa, in order to study the desirability of more comprehensive undergraduate training in orthodontics and continuing education for general practitioners. A questionnaire was completed by 1,012 dental practitioners. The data were analysed statistically by means of the SAS software. The results indicated that general practitioners are engaged in a wider range of orthodontic treatment modalities. The competence of the general practitioner to treat the spectrum of dental malocclusions and the ability of continuing education courses to produce "instant general-practitioner orthodontists", remains a cause for concern. Curricular restructuring requires realistic surveying of sociodemographics, including changes in birthrate and the need and demand for orthodontics in the unique South African situation, if it is to be the goal of the profession to strive for the highest standards. The educational institutions in South Africa should give attention to realistic orthodontic curricular restructuring in view of the changing dental treatment patterns currently being experienced in this country.
Asunto(s)
Ortodoncia/estadística & datos numéricos , Educación Continua en Odontología , Odontología General , Necesidades y Demandas de Servicios de Salud , Humanos , Ortodoncia/educación , SudáfricaRESUMEN
A number of cephalometric analyses are presently being used in the assessment of dentofacial deformities. These cephalometrics are mostly based on hard tissue assessment alone, although a few methods using soft tissue only or partially hard and partially soft tissues exist. Most of the analyses use angular and linear measurements, although some are based mainly on measurements of relationships. When the various cephalometric analyses are compared, considerable inconsistency comes to light; so much so, that cephalometrics sometimes cannot be considered as a primary diagnostic tool. A combination of two relationship analyses, one based on soft tissue assessment and one based on hard tissue assessment, incorporating the craniofacial complex, is presented to provide a higher degree of diagnostic accuracy. This combination analysis is based on only a few critical hard tissue landmarks of the cranial base that are used for the total assessment of the facial hard, dental, and soft tissues. This has eliminated inappropriate landmarks and lines that existed in each of the original analyses. The cephalophotometric and architectural-structural craniofacial analyses have been adjusted accordingly and renamed the profilocephalometric analysis.
Asunto(s)
Cefalometría/métodos , Asimetría Facial/patología , Desarrollo Maxilofacial , Traumatismos Maxilofaciales/patología , Adolescente , Adulto , Cara/patología , Huesos Faciales/patología , Femenino , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMEN
The extent of the naso-maxillo-acro-dysostosis involvement differs in each case. The three cases presented in this paper all had different orthodontic and surgical treatment approaches according to the individual involvement of the nose, maxillae, mouth and other facial features.