Accidental migration of dental implant into the nasal cavity : spontaneous expulsion through the nose

Implant migration into the nasal fossa is a rare complication and it requires extraction by anterior rhinoscopy. We report a clinical case of placement of short dental implants, fixed or intruded in the nasal fossa floor, which was aspirated by the pat

Differences in clinical variables and risk factors between patients with osteoarthritis and osteoarthrosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

Objective: To study differences in risk factors and clinical variables between a group of patients with osteoarthritis and a group with osteoarthrosis of the temporomandibular joint. Material and methods: Thirty-five patients (32 women and 3 men) (mean age 53±18 years), 21 (60%) with a diagnosis of osteoarthrosis (mean age 54.7±20.2 years) and 14 (40%) with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis (mean age 51.7±16.9 years), were studied. The two groups were compared with each other and also with the group of 164 patients with temporomandibular joint pathology from which they were drawn. An evaluation was made of the demographic variables, risk factors (parafunctions, posterior occlusal contacts, sleep disturbances and psychoactive medication), clinical manifestations (pain, joint sounds, limitation of mandibular movements) and panoramic X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging alterations. Results: None of the studied variables showed statistically significant differences between osteoarthritis and osteoarthrosis. Age was significantly older among the patients with osteoarthritis/osteoarthrosis than in the general group of patients with temporomandibular joint pathology (36.9±17.2) (F=20.1; p=0.000). The time from appearance of the symptoms to medical consultation (35.9±41.8 months) was significantly longer in patients with osteoarthritis (F=3.95; p=0.049). The number of posterior occlusal contacts (5.2±3.0), maximum aperture (32.5±6.5 mm), and the frequency of parafunctions (42.9%) were significantly lower in the group of patient with osteoarthritis (F=6.2 p=0.01; F=4.45 p=0.04; χ2 =4.85 p=0.03) than in the group of patients with temporomandibular joint pathology from which they were drawn. Conclusions: No epidemiological or clinical differences were observed between osteoarthritis and osteoarthrosis, though both processes - particularly osteoarthritis - showed differences with respect to the group of patients with temporomandibular joint pathology from which they were drawn

Flap repositioning versus conventional suturing in third molar surgery

Objectives: A comparative study is made of two types of flaps in semi-impacted third molar surgery and their relation to the postoperative period (pain, swelling and trismus). Material and methods: Twenty-five healthy patients were subjected to surgical extraction of both semi-impacted lower third molars, located in a similar clinical and radiographic position. In 25 cases the wound was sutured using a reflection flap (healing by first intention), while in the 25 contralateral cases the conventional technique was used (simple approximation of the wound margins). Pain, swelling and trismus were evaluated, during the first week of the postoperative period. Results: There was lesser pain, swelling and trismus after extraction of a semi-impacted third molar when healing took place by second intention (simple approximation of the margins), than in the case of healing by first intention (flap repositioning and margin-to-margin suturing). Conclusions: The postoperative course proved worse when using a reflection flap for healing by first intention than on suturing by simple approximation of the wound margins

Periimplantitis marginal por sobrecarga oclusal: a propósito de un caso

En la etiología de la periimplantitis marginal se describen un factor infeccioso y otro biomecánico, por sobrecarga oclusal. Los trabajos experimentales y clínicos orientados al factor biomecánico son escasos, al igual que los estudios sobre histopatología asociada a la periimplantitis. Presentamos un caso de periimplantitis marginal en un implante de zona molar mandibular, causado por sobrecarga oclusal, que provocó un defecto óseo en la cresta marginal. El tratamiento consistió en un ajuste oclusal, el retiro quirúrgico del tejido contaminado y un injerto de hueso autógeno, lo cual difiere del tratamiento habitual en la periimplantitis infecciosa. En el análisis histológico del tejido periimplantario encontramos un infiltrado linfo-plasmocitario yuxtaepitelial y una zona central de tejido fibroconectivo denso, con escasa células inflamatorias, que difiere del tejido inflamatorio crónico asociado a la periimplantitis infecciosa. El control clínico y radiográfico a 12 meses evidenció la remisión del cuadro y recuperación ósea de la cresta marginal. Estimamos que en el tratamiento de la periimplantitis marginal, es necesario continuar los estudios acerca de las diferencias histológicas entre los cuadros infecciosos y aquellos originados por sobrecarga oclusal

Pseudotumors and tumors of the temporomandibular joint: a review

Objective: To review the pseudotumors and tumors of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) published in journals included in Journal Citation Reports (JCR), and to evaluate whether there are clinical and radiological signs capable of differentiating between pseudotumors and tumors and between malignant and benign tumors. Material and Methods: A systematic Medline search was made of clinical cases of tumors and pseudotumors of the TMJ covering a 20-year period and published in journals included in JCR. Only cases with histological confirmation were included. A description is provided of the general characteristics of TMJ tumors, with comparison of the clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutive variables referred to pseudotumors, benign tumors and malignant tumors. Results: We identified 285 TMJ tumors published in 181 articles of 15 journals. The most frequent lesions were pseudotumors (synovial chondromatosis, pigmented villonodular synovitis, eosinophilic granuloma and osteochondroma). The mean age was 42 years and one month ± 16 years and two months. Tumors were more common in females. The mean time from symptoms onset to consultation was 30 months and 8 days ± 41 months and 9 days, and almost 19.6% of the cases initially had been diagnosed and treated as TMJ dysfunction. The most frequent clinical manifestations were pain, swelling and the limitation of joint movements. The most common radiological findings in the case of benign and malignant lesions were radiopacities and radiotransparencies, respectively. No panoramic X-ray alterations were observed in 14.6% of the benign tumors and in 7.7% of the malignant lesions. Surgery was the usual form of treatment. Sequelae were recorded in 18.2% of the cases, with tumor relapse in 9.1%. The four-year survival rate in the case of malignant tumors was 72.2%

Fibroma cemento-osificante mandibular: presentación de dos casos y revisión de la literatura

Presentamos dos casos clínicos de lesiones radiotransparentes mandibulares en mujeres jóvenes, que simularon patología infecciosa crónica periapical. En ambos el hallazgo fue casual puesto que no produjeron ningún tipo de sintomatología. En un caso se llegó al diagnóstico (tras la cirugía periapical y el estudio anatomo-patológico) después de realizar la endodoncia del diente implicado y comprobar la no resolución del área periapical. En el otro caso, cuya lesión abarcaba el periápice de los 4 incisivos inferiores, se realizó directamente la cirugía tras comprobar la vitalidad pulpar positiva de estos dientes. Con posterioridad a la intervención quirúrgica se realizó la endodoncia de los dientes que habían perdido la vitalidad. En ambos casos el examen histopatológico, mostró la presencia de un fibroma cemento osificante, cuyo diagnóstico inicial clínico y radiográfico, en ocasiones, puede pasar desapercibido.We present two clinical cases of radioluscent mandibular lesions in young women that simulated chronic periapical infectious pathology. The detection of both cases was fortuitous since they were totally assymptomatic. Diagnosis was reached in one case (upon periapical surgery and anatomo-pathologic study) after endodontic treatment and after verifying non-resolution of affected periapical area. The other case was an extensive lesion, which involved the periapices of the four inferior incisors in which surgery was directly performed upon verifying pulp vitality of these teeth. After surgery endodontic treatment was performed on the teeth that had lost their vitality. In both cases the histopathologic tests revealed the presence of a cemento-ossifying fibroma, the initial clinical and radiographic diagnosis of which could easily be overlooked

Temporomandibular disorders : a case-control study

Objective: To compare the risk factors and clinical manifestations of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) diagnosed according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) (axis I) versus an age and gender matched control group. Study D esign: A total of 162 patients explored according to the RDC/TMD (mean age 40.6±18.8 years, range 7-90; 11.1% males and 88.9% females) were compared with 119 controls, measuring differences in TMD risk factors (sleep disturbances, stress, psychoactive medication, parafunctions, loss of posterior support, ligament hyperlaxity) and clinical variables (joint sounds, painful muscle and joint palpation, maximum aperture). Results: Myofascial pain (MFP) (single or multiple diagnoses) was the most frequent diagnosis (42%). The most common diagnostic combination was MFP plus arthralgia (16.0%). Statistically significant differences were observed in clenching (OR 2.3; 95%CI: 1.4-3.8) and in maximum active aperture (MAA) on comparing the two groups both globally (TMD vs. controls) (patients 36.7±8.6 mm, controls 43.1±5.8 mm; F=45.41, p = 0.000) and on comparing according to diagnostic categories. MFP explained most of the observed differences in the risk factors: stress perception (OR=1.98;I.C.:1.01-3.89), psychoactive medication (OR=2.21; I.C.:1.12-4.37), parafunctions (OR=2.14;I.C.:1.12-4.11), and ligament laxity (OR=2.6;I.C.:1.01-6.68). Joint sounds were more frequent in patients with MFP (39.7% vs. 24.0%; ?2=4.66; p=0.03), and painful joint palpation was more common in patients with disc displacement with reduction (DDWR)(15.9% vs. 5.0%; ?2 = 5.2; p = 0.02) and osteoarthrosis (20.8% vs. 5.0%; ?2 = 7.0; p = 0.008). Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of signs and symptoms of TMDs in the general population. Significant differences are observed in clenching and MAA between patients and controls considered both globally and for each diagnostic category individually. The analyzed risk factors (except loss of posterior support) show a statistically significant OR for the diagnosis of MFP

Antibiotic use in dental practice : A review

Antibiotics are commonly used in dental practice. It has been estimated that 10% of all antibiotic prescriptions are related with dental infections. The association amoxicillin-clavulanate was the drug most frequently prescribed by dentists during 2005, at least in the Valencian Community (Spain). The use of antibiotics in dental practice is characterized by empirical prescription based on clinical and bacteriological epidemiological factors, with the use of broad spectrum antibiotics for short periods of time, and the application of a very narrow range of antibiotics. The simultaneous prescription of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can modify the bioavailability of the antibiotic. In turn, an increased number of bacterial strains resistant to conventional antibiotics are found in the oral cavity. Antibiotics are indicated for the treatment of odontogenic infections, oral non-odontogenic infections, as prophylaxis against focal infection, and as prophylaxis against local infection and spread to neighboring tissues and organs. Pregnancy, kidney failure and liver failure are situations requiring special caution on the part of the clinician when indicating antibiotic treatment. The present study attempts to contribute to rational antibiotic use, with a review of the general characteristics of these drugs

Comparative split-mouth study of the anesthetic efficacy of 4% articaine versus 0.5% bupivacaine in impacted mandibular third molar extraction

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of articaine at 4% (epinephrine 1:100,000) with bupivacaine at 0.5% (epinephrine 1:200,000) for surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. Study Design: This was a randomized, double blind, split-mouth, clinical trial. Thirty-six patients took part and underwent extraction of 72 lower third molars. The variables studied were: anesthetic latency time, intra-operative bleeding, anesthetic quality, hemodynamic changes during the surgical intervention, anesthetic duration in the soft tissues, post-operative analgesia and post-operative pain at 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours using a visual analogue scale, as well as any need for additional rescue medication. Results: Latency time was 2.0 minutes for articaine and 3.1 minutes for bupivacaine, with statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Bleeding was greater when bupivacaine was used (p<0.05) and anesthetic quality was greater with articaine (p<0.05). The duration of soft tissue anesthesia was longer with bupivacaine (p<0.05). Differences in post-operative analgesia, haemodynamic changes, post-operative pain and the quantity of rescue medication consumed were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: Articaine showed greater clinical efficacy than bupivacaine, reducing latency time, bleeding, anesthe - tic duration in the soft tissues and achieving higher anesthetic quality, requiring less reinforcement during surgery than bupivacaine