Central giant cell granuloma of the jaws-long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of surgical and pharmacological management.

OBJECTIVES: To compare long-term results of different treatment modalities in central giant cell granuloma of the maxillofacial-skeleton. Primary resection may result in major defects. Alternative treatments include pharmacological agents. As yet there has been no consensus on the use of the variety of treatment options, and few studies have reported clarifying long-term results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study on 22 patients with 25 lesions evaluated clinical, radiological and histological features, treatment preformed and lesion recurrence. Success was defined as regression/calcification and failure as recurrence, progression or un-responsiveness. RESULTS: Of the presenting patients, 77% were under age 40. Lesion prevalence was higher in the anterior mandible and left posterior maxilla. Most cases exhibited pain, tooth-mobility or mucosal-expansion. The appearance was predominantly unilocular in the maxilla and multilocular in the mandible, which also exhibited higher prevalence of cortical perforation. Up to 80% of lesions were classified as aggressive. Intralesional steroids/calcitonin were used in 7 cases. Mean follow-up was 39.8 months. Two cases showed recurrence. In 71% of the cases treated pharmacologically, calcification/regression were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis indicates better outcomes using a combined approach, including both pharmacological and surgical treatments in large aggressive lesions. Pharmacological treatment resulted in decreased size or well-defined lesions, thus reducing the need for extensive bone resection. Dual treatment with corticosteroids and calcitonin showed no superior outcomes, but a larger cohort should be assessed. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There are several protocols for treatment of central-giant-cell-granuloma lesions, but most are not fully established. It is important to report results that contribute to the establishment of proven protocols. This report attempts to establish the relevance of the combined approach: pharmacological treatment followed by surgical resection.

Evaluation of parental perceptions of lingual and labial frenectomy on their child: a comparison of CO2 laser and conventional scalpel.

To evaluate parental reports of postoperative pain, improvement and satisfaction following frenectomy with scalpel versus carbon dioxide (CO2) laser treatment. Forty-nine patients aged 2-6 years with a short labial or lingual frenulum who required frenectomy were randomly assigned to undergo CO2 laser or scalpel treatment. They were divided into a labial and a lingual frenulum group based on the severity of attachment. Frenectomy was performed using a scalpel or Pixel CO2 10,600 nm laser (Alma Lasers Company, Caesarea, Israel). Postoperative follow-up was conducted via a mobile application where pain was evaluated daily using the visual analog scale (VAS) in the first 72 hours, and painkiller use was recorded. Improvement and satisfaction were evaluated at 1-month post-surgery and compared among the groups. Our results showed significant differences between the degree of clinical attachment of the frenulum, one-month postoperative improvement and satisfaction based on VAS scores (p < 0.001). Although the use of scalpel was associated with lower postoperative pain scores than the CO2 groups, VAS scores of improvement and satisfaction after 1 month were higher in the CO2 groups (p < 0.05). This study showed that although laser was associated with more postoperative pain, it showed greater improvement and higher satisfaction among patients' parents at 1 month post-surgery compared with scalpel.

Treatment of Facial Asymmetry Using Distraction Osteogenesis in a Mandible First Approach.

Background: Facial asymmetry includes several etiologies, among them trauma to the condylar area during early childhood and congenital malformations such as hemifacial microsomia. This article describes the management of facial asymmetry in adolescents and young adults using a mandible first approach by distraction osteogenesis, followed by maxillary Le-Fort I as a second stage. Methods: Eighteen patients 14-25 years of age presented with unilateral hypoplasia of the jaws which manifested clinically by deviation of the chin and canting of the occlusal plane. Etiology included hemifacial microsomia and trauma injuries at early childhood.All patients underwent orthodontic treatment and two phases of surgical treatment. Surgical treatment included unilateral mandibular distraction followed by Le-Fort I osteotomy for alignment of the maxilla. Additional bone graft in the affected side and sliding genioplasty were done as required. Results: Marked ramal elongation of 18.94 mm concomitant with mandibular forward traction of 12.5 mm was noted while achieving symmetry. In all cases, the maxilla was centered to the midline in proper occlusion. Post distraction, posteroanterior cephalometric radiographs demonstrated elongation of the affected ramus, improvement in facial symmetry, and correction of the occlusal canting. Relapse was minimal based on long-term follow-ups of 47.4 months. Conclusions: The two-stage surgical approach that includes elongation of the mandible as a first stage followed by adaptation of the maxilla is useful in correcting facial asymmetry. Using this protocol at the correct age (14-18) is very stable, as demonstrated by our results, yet one should always remember the transverse deficiency in the gonial angle requires additional bone grafting or patient specific implants.

A Comparative Study of Mucosal Wound Healing after Excision with a Scalpel, Diode Laser, or CO2 Laser.

We aimed to compare the clinical and histological secondary healing effectiveness of various types of high-level laser versus scalpel excision in mucosa frenectomy. Methods: Forty-five Sprague Dawley rats were used in this study. These rats were divided into two laser intervention groups (CO2, n = 15; diode, n = 15) and one control group with scalpel excision (n = 15). The effectiveness of therapy has been assessed based on the comparison of intraoperative, postoperative, and histological parameters on days 7, 21, and 35, and postoperative weight changes as pain indicator. Results: Both laser groups demonstrated significantly (P < 0.05) less bleeding than did the control group during the intraoperative stage, whereas the CO2 laser showed more precise cutting compared with the diode laser (P < 0.05). The highest healing score was reported in the CO2 and scalpel groups on the first week of healing than in the diode group (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed between the groups on days 21 and 35. Weight loss was significantly (P < 0.05) demonstrated in the diode group compared to the scalpel and CO2 groups till day 7. Both laser groups demonstrated delayed healing process compared with the scalpel. Nevertheless, the CO2 group followed the scalpel trends after day 7. Conclusion: Scalpel and CO2 laser yielded a superior clinical outcome compared with the diode excision of oral mucosa, whereby the CO2 has been proposed as the most effective laser type at the end of the first postoperative month.

Trends in cleft palate incidence in the era of obstetric sonography and early detection.

BACKGROUND: The effect of improvement in prenatal identification of cleft lip or palate (CL/P) on termination of pregnancy (TOP) worldwide is scarcely reported. Our aim was to assess changes in the prevalence of cleft palate attributed to the high access and availability of prenatal advanced screening and pregnancy termination in Israel. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on CL/P patients which were treated in our institute and born between January 2000 and December 2018. Clinical and demographic data were extracted from medical records. Data on TOP were collected based on accessible information from the Ministry of Health. Cleft palate severity was evaluated using the Veau Classification. RESULTS: The study was conducted on 258 patients. Higher incidence of Veau II and III was evident throughout the examined period (2000-2018). However, when evaluating the incidence per year, we found that the incidence of severe cases (Veau III and IV) decreased every year showing a major decline of 60% in the last decade, whereas mild cases (Veau type I and II) demonstrated a marked increase of 90%. Regarding the incidence of abortions in Israel, a decrease of 30% was observed in the last two decades, meanwhile a substantial increase was detected in the rate of abortions related to physical malformations of the fetus. Additionally, the number of late terminations due to physical malformations significantly increased in the last decade. CONCLUSIONS: Significant decrease was observed in the incidence of severe cleft palate cases in the last decade. Concurrently, we found a substantial increase in percentage of abortions performed due to physical malformations. We suggest that these changes might be attributed to the accessibility of advanced prenatal screening and pregnancy termination in Israel under the social healthcare system.

Is Open Reduction Internal Fixation Using Titanium Plates in the Mandible as Successful as We Think?

ABSTRACT: Titanium plats are the gold-standard for fracture fixation. Titanium is considered biocompatible, corrosion resistant with an elasticity-modulus closest to bone. Nonetheless, titanium plates are not always as inherent as hoped. The authors investigated morbidity associated with titanium plates in mandibular fractures. A retrospective study of mandibular fractures treated between 2000 and 2018 using internal-fixation was conducted. Data included age, gender, complications, and location. Predictor-variable was location. Outcome-variable was plate removal. A total of 571 patients were included, 107 resulted in plate removal (18.7%). Body was the most prevalent location of fracture (29.3%). Symphysis/para-sym-physis showed the highest removal rate (24.1%), followed by body and angle (21.3/19.8%). A total of 23.4% of double-plating cases resulted in plate removal, upper-border in 15% and lower-border in 8.8%, all reconstruction-plates. Exposure was the most frequent complication leading to removal. Although titanium plates are the gold standard, almost every fifth patient returns for plate removal. Age-distribution emphasizing 41 to 50 with decrease towards extremities may imply better healing in the young and soft-tissue elasticity and less complaints in the elderly. Significantly more complications in double-plating compared to lower border suggests proximity to the oral-cavity as a risk-factor for removal. Complication rates and patterns are not negligible and perhaps should encourage clinicians to consider using biodegradable-systems for upper-border plates.

Solitary Extraosseous Neurofibroma in a 5-Year-Old Child - A Case Report.

Rationale: Neurofibroma (NF) is the most common benign peripheral nerve sheath tumour that most often occurs as a solitary tumour. A clinical and imaging diagnosis may be challenging since no distinctive features are unique for this lesion. Solitary NFs are treated by complete resection that may sometimes require a nerve sacrifice, ending with a neurological deficit. Patient Concerns: A 5-year-old girl with mild asymptomatic slow-growing swelling in the vestibulum of her right mandible. Diagnosis: A solitary variant of extraosseous NF involving the right mental branch of the inferior alveolar nerve. Treatment: Surgical removal of the lesion while fully preserving the mental branch. Outcomes: No sensory deficit was identified during a 3-month follow-up. Take-Away Lessons: Ultrasonography is a valuable tool for evaluating soft-tissue masses of the oral cavity. A solitary extraosseous NF involving the mental branch can be surgically removed without nerve deficit.

The Influence of Mandibular Gonial Angle on Fracture Site.

PURPOSE: The mandibular angle is influenced by multiple codependent morphologic dynamic factors, such as osseous anatomy, forces exerted by the muscles of mastication, occlusal loading patterns, and anatomic structures. These factors can influence the presence of a fracture in this area. Our research aimed to investigate a potential correlation between the risk of angle fractures and age, gender, fracture etiology, gonial angle size, presence of mandibular third molars, or presence of occlusal support. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was composed of patients treated for mandibular fractures between 2007 and 2018. The primary predictor variable was the gonial angle, and the primary outcome variable was the fracture site. Other study variables included demographic data, fracture etiology, third molar status, and presence of occlusal support. Appropriate univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics were applied, and statistical significance was set at P < .05. RESULTS: Of 332 isolated mandibular fractures included, 109 were angle fractures; 165, condylar; and 58, body or symphysis. The mean age of patients with angle fractures was 25.5 years, compared with 31.3 years and 32.7 years for those with condylar fractures and body or symphysis fractures, respectively. The mean gonial angle was 125.4° in patients with angle fractures compared with 120.9° and 120.2° in those with condylar fractures and body or symphysis fractures, respectively. The variables that were found predictive of angle fractures were a wider gonial angle and the presence of third molars. CONCLUSIONS: Third molars and the gonial angle are predictors of the location of mandibular fractures. Wide gonial angles and the presence of third molars are predictors of mandibular angle fractures.

Effects of Timing of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy on Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis: An Experimental Study in a Rat Model.

PURPOSE: Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is an established method for bone lengthening in the craniofacial skeleton. Its major drawback is the long consolidation period with attendant morbidity and possible complications. Several methods have been suggested to shorten the consolidation period. We evaluated the timing and effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on bone mineralization and extracellular bone matrix proteins during mandibular DO. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-seven rats underwent mandibular DO (latency period, 3 days; distraction period, 10 days; 0.5 mm/day) and were divided into 3 groups according to the timing of ESWT application: group I (control) received no treatment, whereas groups II and III received ESWT (0.18 mJ/mm2) before and after the active distraction period, respectively. The distracted mandibles were harvested after 4 weeks of consolidation and analyzed radiographically, histologically, and immunohistochemically. RESULTS: Group III showed significantly increased mineral density, enhanced bone formation, a higher collagen orientation index, and greater expression of type I collagen and osteocalcin proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Application of ESWT after active distraction enhances bone maturation and mineralization.

Controversy regarding the need for prophylactic removal of impacted third molars: An overview.

OBJECTIVE: Removal of third molars (3Ms) is one of the most common surgical procedures performed by dental surgeons. 3Ms that are associated with pathologic changes such as infection, nonrestorable caries lesions, cysts, tumors, and destruction of adjacent teeth and bone are under consensus for their removal. However, debate exists regarding the prophylactic removal of asymptomatic impacted 3Ms. This review attempts to establish indications for prophylactic extraction of 3Ms. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Clinical experience and a summary of the literature are presented concerning the effects of retained 3Ms in relation to caries and periodontal disease, dental arch changes and anterior crowding, cysts and other etiologies, mandibular fractures, temporomandibular pain, and aging of bone. RESULTS: Nearly half of impacted 3Ms are associated with some form of pathology, most frequently caries (20%) and periodontal disease (17%). They increase the probability of fractures and their presence results in difficult fracture reduction and a higher rate of complication. The number of 3Ms decreases rapidly with age, with only 31% remaining at 38 years of age. CONCLUSION: Preventive removal of 3Ms at a young age is justified because retained 3Ms are at high risk of developing various pathologies. In addition, at older ages extraction of 3Ms becomes more complex, with an increased rate of complication due to deteriorated systemic physiologic conditions and changes in bone physiology.

Cleft Palate Fistula Closure Utilizing Acellular Dermal Matrix.

Fistulas represent failure of cleft palate repair. Secondary and tertiary fistula repair is challenging, with high recurrence rates. In the present retrospective study, we review the efficacy of using acellular dermal matrix as an interposition layer for cleft palate fistula closure in 20 consecutive patients between 2013 and 2016. Complete fistula closure was obtained in 16 patients; 1 patient had asymptomatic recurrent fistula; 2 patients had partial closure with reduction of fistula size and minimal nasal regurgitation; 1 patient developed a recurrent fistula without changes in symptoms (success rate of 85%). We conclude that utilizing acellular dermal matrix for cleft palate fistula repair is safe and simple with a high success rate.