A case of asymptomatic papillary hyperplasia was diagnosed in a 43-year-old dentulous patient with mitral valve prolapse. Diagnosis was based on clinical and histopathologic examination.

Successful management of the condition with surgical filling and topical antifungal application using an acrylic palatal plate will be presented.
Saudi Dental Journal 1992;4(SI)-Abstr.76:p77.

Accurate detection of early carious lesions is of obvious clinical importance. However, a specific, sensitive and consistent means of detecting early caries has not been developed. The purpose of this in-vitro study was to compare visual-tactile and electronic methods of diagnosis with the microscopic appearance of both pit and fissure caries and smooth surface caries in primary teeth. Twenty-eight primary teeth were extracted and preserved in 10% buffered formalin. Pit and fissure areas were scored by visual-tactile exams. A total of 94 sites were examined: occlusal fissures (19), buccal pits (19), and smooth surfaces (56). The teeth were prepared for testing with the electronic caries detector by removing the roots and inserting a saline-saturated cotton pellet in the pulp chamber to establish a complete circuit. Three readings for each area were recorded. Multiple facial-lingual sections were prepared from each tooth. These sections were examined, scored and photographed using a stereomicroscope.

These findings indicate that for pit and fissure caries and buccal pit caries, the visual tactile method showed a slightly better correlation with the microscopic findings than did the electronic detector. However, the electronic detector showed a much better correlation with microscopic data than did the visual-tactile method for smooth surface caries. These results indicated that electronic caries detection may assist in the diagnosis of facial surface caries in primary teeth.
Saudi Dental Journal 1992;4(SI)-Abstr.77:p78.

Adel El-Sayed Amer, King Fahad Hospital, Medina Dental Center, Medina, Saudi Arabia.

The need for an immediate fixed bridge or restoration is the demand of patients suffering from missing anterior teeth due to trauma or periodontal disease. In this clinical study, two kinds of resin-bonded bridges were constructed. Both bridges were made from a new framework (ready made stainless steel mesh).

The first bridge is the one visit bridge where the whole procedure can be done in the chairside. Twenty bridges were placed by using this technique.

The second bridge is the laboratory bridge - about one hundred patients were treated by this method. Eighty percent of these bridges show good retention because of the mesh which made a good mechanical bond to the tooth surface (least preparation was made in the tooth surface).

The first bridge can replace the immediate partial denture.
Saudi Dental Journal 1992;4(SI)-Abstr.78:p79.

White sponge naevus, Canon's disease or developmental leukokeratosis is a congenital disturbance of the oral mucosa, genetically transmitted by an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance, in which the affected mucosa appears whitish gray, thickened, deeply folded and spongy. This presentation reports on a case of white sponge naevus in a 30-year-old Saudi male, who had been aware of his condition since the cage of 6 years. His father and brother are also affected. Biopsy of the lesions confirmed the diagnosis of white sponge naevus. This case is probably the first to be reported for this condition in Saudi Arabia. No previous reports on white sponge naevus from Saudi Arabia so far.
Saudi Dental Journal 1992;4(SI)-Abstr.79:p80.

Oral clefts are one of the most common abnormalities found all over the world. Little work has been carried out on the oral and dental Due to surgical repair of upper lip and its reduced elasticity, access for maintaining proper oral hygiene in the upper anterior segment in cleft children is probably not as easy as in non-cleft children.

health status and dental anomalies in these children. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the oral health status and dental anomalies in the children with cleft lip and/or cleft palate.

A total of 114 children were examined in the cleft palate clinics of the two hospitals in London. Age range of these children was between 3-18 years, with repaired cleft. In these children, more than 50% had no past caries experience. A higher caries experience was found in cleft palate children compared with cleft lip, and cleft lip and palate children, in deciduous dentition while no significant difference was found in the permanent dentition.

Most common dental anomalies found in these children were congenitally missing teeth, supernumerary teeth and double teeth respectively. Poorer oral hygiene and gingival health was found in cleft lip and palate children compared to children with cleft palate only. Children with cleft lip and palate show poorer oral hygiene and gingival health in the anterior segment than posterior segment, and on the repaired side of the cleft than non-cleft side.
Saudi Dental Journal 1992;4(SI)-Abstr.80:p81.