Duplication of the msh-like homeobox gene of Drosophila may be related to the evolution of the vertebrate head. The murine homologues of this gene, msx 1 and msx 2 are expressed in the developing craniofacial complex including the branchial arches, especially in regions of epithelial-mesenchymal organogenesis including the developing tooth. By performing in vitro recombination experiments using...

The development of many organs depends on sequential epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, and the developing tooth germ provides a powerful model for elucidating the nature of these inductive tissue interactions. In Msx1-deficient mice, tooth development arrests at the bud stage when Msx1 is required for the expression of Bmp4 and Fgf3 in the dental mesenchyme (Bei, M. and Maas, R. (1998) Devel...

The mixed dentition pantomogram is routinely used in paediatric patients. This paper discusses the value of the pantomogram for early identification of problems in dental development during the mixed dentition stage. Aspects regarding dental maturity, leeway space, the sequence of eruption of the permanent teeth, anomalies and the development of the canines will be reviewed.

For meaningful curriculum change to occur in dental schools, faculty must go through a process of new skills development that will prepare them to teach differently and to assess students differently than they have before. Curriculum change and the faculty development process must have the support of the dental school's leadership and become a core value of the school's culture.

It is well accepted that the dental biofilm is the main aetiological factor for the development of dental caries and periodontal diseases.6 Epidemiological data indicate that not only the prevalence of dental caries has decreased in various regions of the world, but there is also a certain decline in the prevalence of periodontitis prevalence.3,4 However, the global population growth and the in...

Background/Aim: Dental implants are a reliable treatment choice for rehabilitation of healthy patients as well as subjects with several systemic conditions. Patients with oral mucosal diseases often exhibit oral mucosal fragility and dryness, erosions, blisters, ulcers or microstomia that complicate the use of removable dentures and emphasize the need for dental implants. The aim of the current...

Interest in and concern about the biofilms that occur in dental equipment and waterlines have been increasing in recent years. Dental unit waterlines are ideal environments for the growth of microorganisms entering dental units from the municipal water supply. This article describes the conditions in waterline tubing that favour development of biofilms and discusses the level of risk that such ...

The contribution of interdigitation to the development of the dentition of juvenile Macaca fascicularis was studied on a series of dental casts and at the histological level by the use of vital staining. Fourteen laboratory-born monkeys were allocated to a control group (n = 7) or an experimental group (n = 7). They were followed from 31 to 152 weeks of age. In the animals of the experimental g...

Although improvements in certain oral health measures have been achieved, many global oral health matters and challenges exist. Collaborations and partnerships among various institutions are crucial in solving such problems. The main aim of the present study was to analyse the nature and extent of the partnership between dental faculties and National Dental Associations (NDAs). A questionnaire ...

The corrosion of dental biomaterials is a pertinent clinical issue. In spite of the recent innovative metallurgical and technological advances and remarkable progress in the design and development of surgical and dental materials, failures do occur. The present article describes the problem of corrosion in titanium dental implants. The clinical significance of the dental implant corrosion is hi...