Optimal recall intervals in child dental care.

A favorite quote from John Fowles can be applied to the debate over the optimal recall intervals for children: "Total sight or all else is desolation." Piecemeal considerations such as the patient's caries prevalence or the rate of progression of a carious lesion, on their own, are insufficient to determine the optimal time for a recall examination. Only a regular, comprehensive examination permits the dentist to understand and apply the ecological model--how best to reduce the incidence of a oral disease and how best to care for or alleviate a disease process.

The effects of hypocalcemia/hypophosphatemia on porcine bone and dental hard tissues in an inherited form of type 1 pseudo-vitamin D deficiency rickets.

The effects of Vitamin D deficiency rickets on the formation of mineralized dental tissues were studied in a breed of pigs which had moderate and marked hypocalcemia because of an inherited defect in the renal production of the biologically-active Vitamin D metabolites. Affected piglets developed classical symptoms of rickets which were fatal unless Vitamin D supplements were given. The dissected mandibles of homozygous (rickets) and heterozygous (normal) pigs were photographed and radiographed.

Risk factors for dental fluorosis in a fluoridated community.

We conducted a case-control study to determine the sources of fluoride which are particular risk factors to dental fluorosis. Cases and non-cases were identified by the screening of 8-, 9-, and 10-year-old schoolchildren in the fluoridated community of East York, Ontario. Parents were interviewed about the child's first five years of residence and about diet and preventive caries practices.