West African Journal of Orthodontics

WAJO 2025(Jun 2025)

2025-07-17T10:54:30+00:00

Editorial

2025-07-17T10:58:28+00:00

Editorial

The Relationship Between Skeletal Malocclusions, Fingerprints and Blood Group in Patients Attending an Orthodontic Clinic in Benin City

2025-07-17T11:13:06+00:00

development of malocclusion. The wide variations observed have been suggested to be due to genetic and environmental influences. More research to ascertain the relationship between malocclusion with fingerprints and blood group in Nigerians is essential. The objective of the study was to assess the relationship between skeletal malocclusion with fingerprints and blood group in a Nigerian population.

Methods: A total of 205 patients, aged 13-40 years, attending the Orthodontic clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City who met the inclusion criteria were selected. Their sagittal and vertical jaw relationships were determined by tracing the patients' lateral cephalometric radiograph. Fingerprints of both hands were taken using a Bio scanner, while blood samples were collected to determine their ABO blood group.

Results: More than half of the patients (55.6%) had skeletal pattern 1 malocclusion. The fingerprint pattern showed that the ulnar loop had the highest frequency across all types of skeletal malocclusion (61.8%), followed by whorl (24.5%), arch (10.2%), and radial loop (3.5 %). The fingerprint patterns of the left thumb, index finger, fifth finger, and right thumb had significant relationship with the different classes of skeletal malocclusion (p<005)

Conclusion: There was a relationship between dermatoglyphic pattern and skeletal malocclusion. No significant relationship was found between skeletal malocclusion and blood group. Dermatoglyphic patterns of some digits show predictive values when compared to others.

Correlations between Cephalometric Measurements of Hard Tissues and Photogrammetric Features of Facial Soft Tissues.

2025-07-17T13:40:11+00:00

Background: Facial soft tissues cover the teeth and the facial skeleton; maintain close anatomical relations with them and may nevertheless vary in their morphology and position. The objective of this study was to determine the correlations between soft facial tissue measurements and craniofacial hard tissue measurements..

Methods: Across-sectional descriptive study was performed using standardised tele-radiographic and photographic images of young children who had come for orthodontic care. On each selected subject, cephalometric and photogrammetric measurements were made. The data collected was analysed using the IBM SPSS 20.0 statistical software. The correlation between hard tissue cephalometric measurements and photogrammetric soft tissue measurements was investigated by a Pearson correlation. The significance is fixed at p = 0.05.

Results: ANB was significantly and positively correlated to Sn-N'-Sm. I / A-Pog was significantly and positively correlated with Ls-E and Li-E. Significant and positive correlations were found between the position of the pogonion and Sn-H. It is the same between the position of point Aand Trg-Sn distance; and between S-Ar and the variables N'-Sn and N'-Me '. Ar-Go was also significantly and positively correlated to Sn-Me ', Sn-Sts and N'-Me'.

Conclusion: The many significant and positive correlations found between cephalometric and photogrammetric variables show that these could advantageously be used to evaluate skeletal and dentoalveolar variables. This would limit the significant risks of ionizing radiation during orthodontic treatment.

Pattern of Malocclusion seen at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano Nigeria: A 5 Year Review

2025-07-17T13:31:50+00:00

Background: Malocclusion involves irregular tooth alignment or occlusion beyond normal limits, influenced by genetic, environmental, and ethnic factors. It is a multifactorial condition without a single cause. Understanding malocclusion patterns across populations is essential for orthodontic treatment planning, especially as demand for corrective care continues to rise globally.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study analysed data from 106 orthodontic patients aged 8 to 40 years seen at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) from 2019 to 2024. All patients who presented at the Orthodontic clinic of AKTH were included in the study sample. Angles malocclusion types, overjet, overbite, crowding, diastema, and oral habits were assessed. Data was cleaned and processed in MS Excel and all statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA. (SPSS).

Results: The 5-year study at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital included (106) patients, predominantly female (65.7%), with an average age of 14.5 years. Most patients (40%) were aged 11-15 years. A large proportion of the subjects (64.4%) had Class I malocclusion, with low diastema prevalence (89.5% at 0-1 mm). Increased overjet affected 51.4% and 50.5% were affected by increased overbite. This shows that a small majority had increased overjet (51.4%) and increased overbite (50.5%), a few 16.2% had crossbite, and 7.6% anterior open bite, while a majority of the subjects 69.2% had tooth rotations. Malocclusion distribution showed no gender differences but varied by age. Class I malocclusion was highest in age groups <10 and >25 years, while anterior open bite was more prevalent in older age groups. Significant associations were found with overbite and anterior open bite. Approximately 31.4% of patients exhibited oral habits, with nail biting being most common. No significant gender differences were observed in the prevalence of oral habits. Oral habits were not significantly associated with malocclusion types except for anterior open bite, where 87.5% of affected patients exhibited habits. Consider the only significant relationship between oral habits and malocclusion type was observed between anterior open bite (AOB) where 87.5% of subjects who had AOB gave a positive history of oral habits.

Conclusion: This study highlights the prevalence of malocclusion, different malocclusion types, low diastema rates, and significant occurrences of increased overjet, overbite, and tooth rotations, emphasising the need for regional assessments to address the dental needs of the population.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Orthodontics

2025-07-17T11:05:56+00:00

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly emerged as a transformative tool in orthodontics, enhancing diagnostic accuracy, treatment planning, and clinical workflows. From its early conceptualisation to its present integration into healthcare, AI now plays a pivotal role in optimising orthodontic outcomes through data-driven decision-making and automation. This review synthesises current literature on the applications, benefits, and limitations of AI in orthodontics. It explores AI paradigms, including symbolic AI, machine learning, and deep learning, while categorising their functionalities into classification, regression, detection, and segmentation. Key databases and recent studies were evaluated to gather relevant data and outcomes across multiple subdomains of orthodontic practice. AI has been effectively implemented in diverse orthodontic tasks such as cephalometric analysis, bone age prediction, airway assessment, facial proportion analysis, and appliance fabrication. AI assisted systems have demonstrated high accuracy (often >90%) in diagnosis, treatment planning, and prediction models.

Notably, applications like extraction decision support, impacted canine management, and orthognathic surgery planning have shown significant promise. The integration of AI with teleorthodontics and 3D printing also opens new avenues for remote and customised care. AI is reshaping orthodontic practice by improving precision, efficiency, and patient outcomes. While challenges such as data bias, privacy concerns, and regulatory gaps remain, ongoing innovations suggest a future where AI could democratise access to advanced orthodontic care, especially in underserved regions. Strategic implementation and ethical governance will be key to its successful integration into routine practice.

Talon Cusp: An uncommon occlusal anomaly – conservative management of two cases.

2025-07-17T11:19:15+00:00

Talon cusp, a rare dental anomaly characterized by an extra cusp-like structure on anterior teeth, poses significant clinical challenges. This report presents two cases of talon cusp affecting maxillary central incisors, highlighting their clinical implications and successful conservative management.

The cases illustrate distinct complications, including premature contact, articulation difficulties, inadequate mouth closure, food impaction, and patient discomfort. A thorough literature review reveals variability in prevalence, etiology, and classification systems, underscoring the importance of radiographic evaluation and multidisciplinary approaches.

This report emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and intervention to prevent complications and ensure optimal oral function and patient comfort. Conservative management strategies, including restorative and minor surgical interventions, are discussed, highlighting the potential for successful outcomes without extensive treatment.