Localization of Basicranium Midline by Submentovertex Projection for the Evaluation of Condylar Asymmetry

The purpose of this research was to compare the reliability of two different methods for cranial midline localization through cephalometric analysis of mandibular condyle asymmetries. A retrospective cohort study was performed analyzing consecutively the SMV radiograms of 47 patients undergoing oral surgery before orthodontic treatment at the Dental School, University of Trieste (Italy) from 2003 to 2008. Two different cephalometric analyses were used to identify the basicranium midline (Tracing 1: initial landmarks = craniostat ear rods; Tracing 2: initial landmarks = spinosum foramina), and the left/right symmetry ratio (SR) for four parameters (condylar length, condylar angle, intra-condylar hemidistance, extra-condylar hemidistance) was calculated. The main result showed that no significant statistical difference between the SRs of the intra-condylar and extra-condylar hemidistance obtained with the same tracing was found (t-test; P = NS; C.I. 95%). Conversely, the difference between the SRs obtained with the two different tracings was statistically significant (t-test; P < 0.000; C.I. 95%). In conclusion, if the analysis of condylar asymmetries is performed in growing subjects, utilization of anatomic references such as the neurovascular foramina seems to guarantee a lower error compared to non-fixed references such as ear rods

Classification of impacted mandibular third molars on cone-beam CT images

Background: Neurological involvement is a serious complication associated to the surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars and the radiological investigation is the first mandatory step to assess the risk of a possible post-operative injury to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN). The aim of this study was to introduce a new radiological classification that could be normally used in clinical practice to assess the relationship between an impacted third molar and mandibular canal on cone beam CT (CBCT) images. Material and Methods: CBCT images of 80 patients (133 mandibular third molars) were independently studied by three members of the surgical team to draw a classification that could describe all the possible relationships between third molar and IAN on the cross-sectional images. Subsequently, the study population was subdivided according to this classification. The SPSS software, version 15.0 (SPSS® Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) was used for the statistical analysis. Results: Eight different classes were proposed (classes 0-7) and six of them (classes 1-6) were subdivided in two subtypes (subtypes A-B). The distribution of classes showed a prevalence of buccal or apical course of the mandibular canal followed by lingual position and inter-radicular one. No differences have resulted in terms of anatomic relationship between males and females apart from a higher risk of real contact without corticalization of the canal when the IAN had a lingual course for female group. Younger patients showed an increased rate of direct contact with a reduced calibre of the canal and/or without corticalization. Conclusions: The use of this classification could be a valid support in clinical practice to obtain a common language among operators in order to define the possible relationships between an impacted third molar and the mandibular canal on CBCT image

Managing patients taking novel oral anticoagulants (NOAs) in dentistry: A discussion paper on clinical implications

Background The aim of this paper is to contribute to the discussion on how to approach patients taking new orally administered anticoagulants (NOAs) dabigatran etexilate (a direct thrombin inhibitor), rivaroxaban and apixaban (factor Xa inhibitors), before, during and after dental treatment in light of the more recent knowledges. Discussion In dentistry and oral surgery, the major concerns in treatment of patients taking direct thrombin inhibitors and factor Xa inhibitors is the risk of haemorrhage and the absence of a specific reversal agent. The degree of renal function, the complexity of the surgical procedure and the patient\u2019s risk of bleeding due to other concomitant causes, are the most important factors to consider during surgical dental treatment of patients taking NOAs. For patients requiring simple dental extraction or minor oral surgery procedures, interruption of NOA is not generally necessary, while an higher control of bleeding and discontinuation of the drug (at least 24 h) should be requested before invasive surgical procedures, depending on renal functionality. Summary The clinician has to consider that the number of patients taking NOAs is rapidly increasing. Since available data are not sufficient to establish an evidence-based dental management, the dentist must use caution and attention when treating patients taking dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban

Coronectomy as a surgical approach to impacted mandibular third molars: A systematic review

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the surgical technique of coronectomy for third molars extraction in close proximity with the inferior alveolar nerve. A literature survey carried out through PubMed, SCOPUS and the Cochrane Library from inceptions to the last access in January 31, 2014, was performed to intercept randomised clinical trials, controlled clinical trials, prospective cohort studies or retrospective studies (with or without control group) that examined the clinical outcomes after coronectomy. The following variable were evaluated: inferior alveolar nerve injury, lingual nerve injury, postoperative adverse effects, pulp disease, root migration and rate of reoperation. Ten articles qualified for the final analysis. The successful coronectomies varied from a minimum of 61.7% to a maximum of 100%. Coronectomy was associated with a low incidence of complications in terms of inferior alveolar nerve injury (0%-9.5%), lingual nerve injury (0%-2%), postoperative pain (1.1%-41.9%) and swelling (4.6%), dry socket infection (2%-12%), infection rate (1%-9.5%) and pulp disease (0.9%). Migration of the retained roots seems to be a frequent occurrence (2%-85.3%). Coronectomy appears to be a safe procedure at least in the short term, with a reduced incidence of postoperative complications. Therefore, a coronectomy can be indicated for teeth that are very close to the inferior alveolar nerve. If a second operation is needed for the remnant roots, they can be removed with a low risk of paresthesia, because the roots are generally receded from the mandubular nerve

A primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma case report and literature review. The new WHO classification

Abstract Aim: Cyst-like lesions in the mandible rarely develop into malignancies, and the re- ported incidence is between 0.3% and 2%. The present study describes a rare case of primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma of the mandible arising from an odon- togenic cyst. Materials and Methods: An 80-year-old male was referred to Trieste University Maggiore Hospital (Trieste, Italy), with acute pain in the left retromolar area. An initial examination revealed extra oral swelling without paresthesia of the IAN. Following an intraoral examination, the oral mucosa was edematous, percussion pain was experienced on the lower left second molar. Panoramic radiography revealed a re- tained lower left wisdom tooth and an irregular radiolucent area between the lower left second molar and the mandibular angle with clear margins. Computed tomography re- vealed diffuse bone resorption and an extensive loss of cortical bone on the lingual side. Results: A biopsy was performed during the surgery to remove the second lower left molar and the wisdom tooth, the pathological diagnosis was of squamous cell carcinoma arising from the epithelial lining of the odontogenic cyst. MRI with contrast agent was also performed. Shortly after the patient has been proposed a complete resective surgery of the mass including the infiltrated areas and then a reconstructive part to restore the function and aesthetic. Conclusion: The follow-up of a large inflammatory cyst is essential for early diagnosis of malignant neoplasm. This approach allows lower invasive treatments and major survival of these patients

Assessing the Efficacy of Whole-Body Titanium Dental Implant Surface Modifications in Inducing Adhesion, Proliferation, and Osteogenesis in Human Adipose Tissue Stem Cells

Abstract: Background: Although the influence of titanium implants’ micro-surface properties on tita- nium discs has been extensively investigated, the research has not taken into consideration their whole-body effect, which may be considered possible using a combinatorial approach. Methods: Five titanium dental implants with a similar moderate roughness and different surface textures were thor- oughly characterized. The cell adhesion and proliferation were assessed after adipose-tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were seeded on whole-body implants. The implants’ inductive properties were assessed by evaluating the osteoblastic gene expression. Results: The surface micro-topography was analyzed, showing that hydroxyapatite (HA)-blasted and bland acid etching implants had the highest roughness and a lower number of surface particles. Cell adhesion was observed after 24 h on all the implants, with the highest score registered for the HA-blasted and bland acid etching implants. Cell proliferation was observed only on the laser-treated and double-acid-etched surfaces. The ADSCs ex- pressed collagen type I, osteonectin, and alkaline phosphatase on all the implant surfaces, with high levels on the HA-treated surfaces, which also triggered osteocalcin expression on day seven. Conclu- sions: The findings of this study show that the morphology and treatment of whole titanium dental implants, primarily HA-treated and bland acid etching implants, impact the adherence and activity of ADSCs in osteogenic differentiation in the absence of specific osteo-inductive signals

Parotid Gland Edema After Chlorhexidine Mouthrinse: Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction: Parotid gland swelling, caused by many pathological conditions, has also been reported to be a possible side effect of the use of chlorhexidine mouthwash. This adverse reaction to chlorhexidine mouthwash is, however, extremely rare and very few cases of parotid gland swelling due to chlorhexidine mouthwash have been reported in the literature. Case Description: This report describes the clinical management of unilateral parotid swelling caused by chlorhexidine mouthwash. Methods: A patient presented with left parotid gland swelling after using chlorhexidine mouthwash for three days following sinus augmentation on the contralateral side of the maxilla. Diagnosis of parotid gland swelling due to rinsing with chlorhexidine was formulated after anamnesis, clinical examination, radiographs and ultrasound of the gland excluded other pathological conditions. The patient was subsequently advised to stop rinsing. However, on the evening of the same day, swelling increased and the patient presented to an emergency department where a single intravenous dose of methylprednisolone was administered. Results: After seven days, parotid swelling decreased significantly and after three weeks had completely disappeared. Conclusion: Although unilateral or bilateral parotid gland swelling related to the use of chlorhexidine mouthwash is an uncommon adverse event, it must be suspected after other organic or infective conditions have been excluded. The precise pathogenic mechanism has not yet been determined and further studies should be carried out to better understand the pathophysiology of this uncommon phenomenon

Influence of the anesthetic modality on the development of neurological injury after lower third molar extraction: A systematic review of the literature

The aim of this study is to evaluate if the risk of neurological injury to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) and the lingual nerve (LN), following the extraction of lower third molars are influenced by the anesthetic modality (local anesthesia (LA) vs. general anesthesia (GA)). A systematic search was performed through the PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, an Web of Science databases; furthermore, a manual search was performed by analyzing the references of full-text articles. From a total of 309 studies (collected after the removal of duplicates), 6 studies were selected. Of these, 4 reported a correlation between GA and nerve damage, while the other 2 did not show an obvious as- sociation. The level of bias in the studies was also calculated. Only 2 studies showed a medium risk of bias, while 4 studies showed a high risk of bias; no study showed a low risk of bias. Four of the 6 studies high- lighted a higher incidence of IAN and LN injury, following the extractions performed under GA. Although no scientific evidence is yet available, due to the scarcity and the limited quality of the studies in the literature, considering the risk–benefit ratio, LA should be the first choice in lower third molar surgery

Gingival overgrowth caused by Olmesartan Medoxomil: Observational study

Objective: Olmesartan Medoxomil is a type 1 receptor antagonist an antagonist of type 1 receptor (AT1) of angiotensin II (A-II) that inhibits numerous actions of A-II in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). A-II is a significant and multifunctional peptide involved in the pathophysiology of blood hypertension and for this reason it represents the main target in several classes of drugs used to treat and control arterial hypertension, such as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-i), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) and renin direct inhibitors. The aim of the study is to evaluate whether the two drugs that have as an active principle Olmesartan Medoxomil, with and without the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide, are able to determine gingival overgrowth. Study Design: 108 subjects were examined and divided into three groups: G1, subjects treated with Olmesartan Medoxomil and hydrochlorothiazide (n=60); G2, subjects received only Olmesartan Medoxomil (n=24); G3, control group without pharmacological therapies (n=24). The plaque index (IP) and the gingival overgrowth index (OI) were recorded, considering the vertical and horizontal components. Results: Vertical overgrowth averaged between 0.17 \ub1 0.15 (G3) and 0.34 \ub1 0.26 (G2) showing statistically significant differences (p <0.05) compared to the other groups. Horizontal overgrowth ranged from 0.18 \ub1 0.26 (G3) to 0.49 \ub1 0.35 (G2) showing statistically significant differences (p <0.05). Conclusions: antihypertensive agents as Olmesartan Medoxomil may result in mild gingival overgrowth in the upper and lower frontal dental elements not related to other etiological factors

An evaluation of clinical, radiological and three-dimensional dental tomography findings in ectodermal dysplasia cases

Background:This study aimed to review the results related to head and jaw disorders in cases of ectodermal dysplasia. The evaluation of ectodermal dysplasia cases was made by clincal examination and examination of the jaw and facial areas radiologically and on cone-beam 3-dimensional dental tomography (CBCT) images. Material and Methods: In the 36 cases evaluated in the study, typical clinical findings of pure hypohidrotic ectodermal displasia (HED) were seen, such as missing teeth, dry skin, hair and nail disorders. CBCT images were obtained from 12 of the 36 cases, aged 1.5- 45 years, and orthodontic analyses were made on these images. Results: The clinical and radiological evaluations determined, hypodontia or oligodontia, breathing problems, sweating problems, a history of fever, sparse hair, saddle nose, skin peeling, hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, finger and nail deformities, conical teeth anomalies, abnormal tooth root formation, tooth resorption in the root, gingivitis, history of epilepsy, absent lachrymal canals and vision problems in the cases which included to the study. Conclusions: Ectodermal dysplasia cases have a particular place in dentistry and require a professional, multi- disciplinary approach in respect of the chewing function, orthognathic problems, growth, oral and dental health. It has been understood that with data obtained from modern technologies such as three-dimensional dental tomography and the treatments applied, the quality of life of these cases can be improved