Objective: The purpose of the present study is to determine the gender of individual using mandibular ramus parameters, namely, gonial flexure and minimum ramal breadth in panoramic radiographs. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study has been conducted using 100 panoramic radiographs from the archives of the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Yenepoya Dental College, Mangalore. Two parameters, namely, gonial flexure and minimum ramal breadth were measured using Agfa Nx software for each digital radiograph. The mean values were calculated and compared between females and males using unpaired t-test and discriminant functional analysis. Results: It was observed that gonial flexure is more obtuse in females when compared to males (R gonial angle, t = 2.965, P = 0.004 L gonial angle t = 2.458, P = 0.016) and the minimum ramal breadth was wider in males compared to females (R ramus breadth, t = −2.846, P = 0.005, L ramus breadth, t = −2.478, P = 0.015) and also the discriminant function analysis was also found to be significant at P = 0.011, Wilks' lambda = 0.875 (Goodness of fit). Conclusion: Mandibular ramus parameters, namely, gonial flexure and minimum ramal breadth can be used efficiently to determine gender which has implication in forensic medicine.

Context: Orthodontic treatment brings about correction of dentoalveolar malformations in an individual. During the course of treatment, the patient faces frequent problems such as pain and certain discomforts affecting his daily life. Aims: The aim of the present study was to determine the time when the pain starts, its intensity, location, and duration of pain experienced by the patients after the start of fixed orthodontic treatment. Our aim was also to find the effect of pain on different aspects of daily living of the patients and also to determine if gender is correlated to the perception of pain. Settings and Design: The study included 63 patients who after orthodontic bonding were instructed to keep a daily protocol of pain experienced, mentioning the site and intensity as well as functional and social discomforts experienced by grading them at 4 h, 1^st day till 7^th day continuously, at 14^th day, and at the end of 3^rd and 6^th month. Materials and Methods: The questionnaire consisted of 18 questions divided into two subgroups. The intensity of pain was measured using a visual analog scale, and the social and functional discomforts were graded. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical tests were done, and calculations of correlations were carried out using SPSS for Windows (version 16.0; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: It was concluded that although not significant, pain as well as functional and social discomforts experienced reached a peak on day 2, started to decrease on day 3. Conclusions: This study showed no significant difference in perception of pain after orthodontic bonding based on sex though significant differences were seen in certain functional and social discomforts.

Aim and Objective: The objective of this in vivo study was to evaluate sulcus depth width and thickness of facial attached gingiva in primary, mixed, and permanent dentition. Materials and Methods: The study included 40 subjects (22 males and 18 females) with 480 sites of an age range 4–25 years. Subjects were divided into three groups: the primary dentition (4–6 years), mixed dentition (7–13 years), and adult dentition (16–25 years). All the parameters were measured in the upper and lower anterior segments. Results: Gingival sulcus depth (GSD), attached gingiva width (AGW), and gingival thickness (GT) were measured archwise and toothwise in different dentition and overall dentition wise without differentiating archwise and toothwise. GSD was significantly higher in maxillary mixed dentition (1.75 ± 0.75), followed by permanent and primary dentition. AGW was significantly higher in maxillary permanent dentition (3.4 ± 0.36) followed by maxillary mixed and permanent dentition. GT was significantly higher (P = 0.001) in mixed dentition midbuccally (1.3 ± 0.46) and interdentally (2.31 ± 0.71) in both the arches. In all the dentition, maxillary central incisor showed significant GSD. AGW was significantly higher in permanent maxillary canine (3.5 ± 0.5). GT (midbuccal) was significantly higher in primary dentition (1.4 ± 0.5), and GT (ID) was significant in mixed dentition (2.6 ± 0.7). Conclusion: The sulcus depth and GT increases from primary to mixed dentition and significantly higher in maxilla. The width of attached gingiva was less in mixed dentition than primary with maxillary sites exhibiting higher values than mandibular.

Zika virus was first isolated in the year 1947 from the blood of sentinel rhesus macaque of Uganda. The virus was introduced in Brazil from Pacific Islands and thereon spread rapidly. It was considered the first infectious disease to have birth defects. This review highlights the transmission, clinical aspects, clinical features, diagnosis, and possible implications of the virus for the dental team.