PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine esthetic perceptions of the Malaysian population regarding the width of buccal corridor spaces and their effect on smile esthetics in individuals with short, normal, and long faces.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The image of a smiling individual with a mesofacial face was modified to create 2 different facial types (brachyfacial and dolicofacial). Each face form was further modified into 5 different buccal corridors (2%, 10%, 15%, 22%, and 28%). The images were submitted to 3 different ethnic groups of evaluators (Chinese, Malay, Indian; 100 each), ranging between 17 and 21 years of age. A visual analog scale (50 mm in length) was used for assessment. The scores given to each image were compared with the Kruskal-Wallis test, and pairwise comparison was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test (α=.05).

RESULTS: All 3 groups of evaluators could distinguish gradations of dark spaces in the buccal corridor at 2%, 10%, and 28%. Statistically significant differences were observed among 3 groups of evaluators in esthetic perception when pairwise comparisons were performed. A 15% buccal corridor was found to score esthetically equally within 3 face types by all 3 groups of evaluators. The Indian population was more critical in evaluation than the Chinese or Malay populations. In a pairwise comparison, more significant differences were found between long and short faces and the normal face; the normal face was compared with long and short faces separately.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between postoperative upper instrumented vertebrae (UIV) tilt angle with postoperative medial shoulder and neck imbalance.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Studies had found that current recommendations for UIV selection were not predictive of good postoperative shoulder balance.

METHODS: A total of 98 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with Lenke 1/2 curves who underwent posterior spinal fusion between 2013 and 2014 with minimum follow-up of 2 years were recruited. Radiological parameters: UIV tilt angle, T1 tilt, cervical axis, and clavicle angle were measured preoperatively, postoperatively, and at final follow-up.

METHODOLOGY: This study was designed as a parallel, double blind, randomized controlled trial where symptomatic mature permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly treated with full pulpotomy using one of 3 calcium silicate-based materials (ProRoot MTA, Biodentine and TotalFill). Full pulpotomy was performed, and haemostasis was achieved via a cotton pellet moistened with 2.5% NaOCl. A 3-mm layer of the calcium silicate-based material was randomly placed as the pulpotomy agent through a block randomization process followed by a resin-based composite restoration. Postoperative periapical radiograph was taken. Clinical and radiographic evaluation were completed after 6 months and 1 year. The patient and evaluator were blinded to the type of materials used. Pain levels were scored preoperatively and 7 days after treatment. Effect of potential prognosis factors including gender, age, diagnosis, bleeding time and type of caries were also analysed.

RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-four teeth in 146 patients received full pulpotomy and were randomly assigned to either the tested or control material through block randomization technique (50 MTA, 50 Biodentine and 64 TotalFill). The age ranged from 10 to 70 years. The diagnosis was irreversible pulpitis in 112 teeth (72%) and reversible pulpitis in 28 teeth (28%). The majority of patients presented with severe pain, during the first week 96.9% reported complete relief of pain or mild pain. Four cases had immediate failure. At 6 months the overall success rate was 92.2%, over 1 year 156/164 teeth attended follow-up with 12 failures (2 restorative failures and 10 endodontic failures), the overall success of pulpotomy at 1 year was 92.3% (144/156); 91.8% in MTA, 93.3% in Biodentine and 91.9% in TotalFill with no significant difference amongst the groups and no side effects observed. No significant association was evident between outcome and the investigated variables.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of folic acid or l-5-MTHF supplementation on blood folate concentrations, methyl nutrient metabolites, and DNA methylation in women living in Malaysia, where there is no mandatory fortification policy.

METHODS: In a 12-wk, randomized, placebo-controlled intervention trial, healthy Malaysian women (n = 142, aged 20-45 y) were randomly assigned to receive 1 of the following supplements daily: 1 mg (2.27 μmol) folic acid, 1.13 mg (2.27 μmol) l-5-MTHF, or a placebo. The primary outcomes were plasma and RBC folate and vitamin B-12 concentrations. Secondary outcomes included plasma total homocysteine, total cysteine, methionine, betaine, and choline concentrations and monocyte long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) methylation.