Auto-transplantation is the repositioning of an autogenously erupted, partially erupted, or unerupted tooth from one site to another in the same individual. The purpose of this case report is to describe the auto-transplantation of the mandibular third molars as an alternative means of replacing second molars requiring extraction. An orthopantomogram revealed horizontal impaction of teeth #37 and 47 and mesio-angular impaction of teeth #38 and 48. Cone beam computed tomography revealed that the roots of #37 and 47 were in close proximity to the inferior alveolar canal bilaterally. As atraumatic and complete removal of these two teeth was not possible, #38 and 48 were chosen as the donor teeth instead. The procedure was carried out under general anesthesia. Teeth #38 and 48 were extracted atraumatically; teeth #37 and 47 were pulled out by sectioning and transplant sites prepared. Teeth #38 and 48 were transplanted to the sites vacated by teeth #37 and 47, respectively. Endodontic treatment of teeth #38 and 48 was completed within 1 month following transplantation. Both clinical and radiographic outcomes were considered satisfactory at 1 year postoperatively. Bone healing was observed around the roots of teeth #38 and 48. In conclusion, although auto-transplantation is not very common in general dental practice, we believe that it offers a clinically and economically viable alternative to other complicated prosthetic and dental implant treatments.
The wax sculpting of a maxillofacial prosthesis is challenging, time-consuming, and requires great skill. Rapid prototyping (RP) systems allow these hurdles to be overcome by enabling the creation of a customized 3D model of the desired prosthesis. Geomagic and Mimics are the most suitable software programs with which to design such prostheses. However, due to the high cost of these applications and the special training required to operate them, they are not widely used. Additionally, ill-fitting margins and other discrepancies in the final finished products of RP systems are also inevitable. Therefore, this process makes further treatment planning difficult for the maxillofacial prosthodontist. Here, we report the case of a 62-year-old woman who attended our clinic. Initially, she had presented with a right facial defect. This was later diagnosed as a squamous cell carcinoma and resected. The aim of this report is to describe a new technique for the 3D printing of facial prostheses which involves the combined use of open-source software, an RP system, and conventional methods of fabrication. The 3D design obtained was used to fabricate a maxillofacial prosthesis to restore the defect. The patient was happy with the esthetic outcome. This approach is relatively easy and cheap, does not require a high degree of non-medical training, and is beneficial in terms of clinical outcome.
Population flow between Southeast Asian countries and Japan continues to gather pace. Accordingly, the number of foreigners involved in incidents in Japan has markedly increased, which means that forensic dentistry is now increasingly being faced with the need to analyze DNA from persons of non-Japanese extraction. The DNA test currently used for personal identification mainly utilizes short tandem repeats (STRs) on autosomal chromosomes and the Y-chromosome. This test was developed for use in personal identification, not for distinguishing among races; nonetheless, the standard method for personal identification is often used because the procedure has been established. To determine the degree to which racial differences can be distinguished by standard DNA analysis, 23 STRs located on the Y chromosome were investigated in 218 Malay and 426 Japanese males. The frequencies of each STR were calculated in the two populations. The difference in the power of discrimination between the Malay and Japanese populations ranged from a minimum of 0.01 to a maximum of 0.27; the difference in polymorphic information content ranged from 0.01 (minimum) to 0.23 (maximum). No major differences were noted in the polymorphisms in these two Mongoloid populations, but the distributions of the 17 STRs differed significantly. Short tandem repeat types demonstrating a likelihood of racial differences were identified in 14 of the STRs. Race-specific STR types were identified in 10 STRs. These results suggest that the likelihood of Malay or Japanese genetic background can be judged based on Y-chromosome STR test results.
Short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphisms were investigated in 341 unrelated Malay individuals (218 males and 123 females) living in or around Kuala Lumpur by using a forensic analysts kit. The following STRs were targeted: D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818, and FGA. The purpose of this study was to elucidate population genetics in Malaysia and calculate statistical parameters for forensic and anthropological research. Data on these STRs in the target population were obtained and subjected to statistical analysis. Accordance with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was proven for all the loci targeted. The combined power of discrimination was greater than 0.9999999999, indicating that this multiplex system is an excellent tool for forensic casework. The allele frequency in the data were weighed against that in four other local populations (Chinese, Iranian, Belgian, and African). The average coefficient of correlation was strongest in the order of Africa (0.092522), Belgium (0.264822), Iran (0.404363), and China (0.706661). These results are consistent with what is known about the anthropological history of and prehistoric human migration in the Malay region. We believe that these data offer a valuable anthropological resource, being applicable to the statistical evaluation of DNA evidence in human identification, as well as the determination of ethnicity in healthy populations.