Eyebrow reconstruction using composite graft and microsurgical transplant.

The pivotal role that eyebrows play in facial expression and aesthetics is widely accepted, along with the difficulties faced by surgeons in reconstructing defects in this area. The case study presented demonstrates reconstruction of a traumatic eyebrow defect using a post-auricular composite graft in combination with a microfollicular hair transplant technique. The advantage of the combined approach is discussed with reference to the fine tuning of the adjoining areas between reconstructed and undamaged hair-bearing regions. The advantages of this technique in control of the direction of hair growth and preservation of hair density are emphasised.

Retromandibular approach to the mandibular condyle: a clinical and cadaveric study.

This prospective study was carried out to assess the morbidity of the retromandibular approach in the management of condylar fractures. Twenty consecutive patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation of their condylar fractures using this technique. Branches of the facial nerve were encountered in six cases (30%). Temporary weakness of the facial nerve occurred in six patients (30%), but this resolved in all cases within 3 months and there were no cases of permanent nerve injury. Two patients had a temporary deficit of the great auricular nerve and one patient developed a sialocoele that resolved with aspiration. A cadaveric study using 30 facial halves (15 fresh cadavers) was also conducted. Branches of the facial nerve were encountered in 12 dissections (40%). The literature regarding facial nerve morbidity in relation to the management of condylar fractures is reviewed.

Temporomandibular joint synovial fluid sampling: estimation of dilution factor using calcium ion concentration.

Saline aspirates have been commonly used in the biochemical investigations of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathology. However, due to presence of adhesions in the diseased temporomandibular joint, full equilibration between the injected saline and the synovial fluid may not be achieved in all cases. We measured calcium ion concentration in the saline aspirates and the plasma to assess the degree of dilution of the synovial fluid by the injected media. Saline aspirates obtained prior to the arthroscopic examination of 17 patients with painful TMJs not responding to 3 months of conservative treatment were analysed for their calcium content by a highly sensitive spectrophotometric autoanalyser. In 10 patients with unilateral symptoms, the contralateral asymptomatic side was used as a control. Using a concentration volume equation the amount of the synovial fluid in the saline aspirates was calculated. The yield of the saline aspirates was variable ranging from 330 to 1000 microl. The mean calcium level was 0.787 mg/dl in the symptomatic group (C.I. 95% 0.337-1.237 mg/dl) and 0.512 mg/dl (C.I. 95% 0.235-0.797) in the asymptomatic group. Using a Student t-test there was no significant difference between the two groups. Furthermore, there was no demonstrable correlation between the volume of the aspirate and its synovial fluid content. This study confirms that the saline aspirate may not be a representative sample of the TMJ synovial fluid, and that expression of the results of the biochemical assays per volume of the aspirate may be misleading.

Simultaneous repair of an orbital floor fracture and removal of an ethmoid osteoma: case report and review of the literature.

A case is presented of an ethmoid osteoma, which was discovered during the investigation of an orbital floor fracture. The osteoma was removed at the same time as orbital floor repair and special attention paid to preserving the medical canthal structures.

Ocular psychiatric disorders in maxillofacial injuries. Two case reports and a review of psychogenic ocular symptoms.

Ocular signs and symptoms associated with facial trauma can be a manifestation of an underlying psychiatric disorder which may exist prior to the traumatic incident, or even develop as a result of the stressful traumatic experience in a psychologically vulnerable individual. Two such cases are presented. A brief review of psychogenic ocular symptoms as well as suggestions for evaluation and treatment are discussed.

Assessment of surgeon competency to remove mandibular third molar teeth.

There is an increasing demand for methods to objectively assess a surgeon's competence. The purpose of this study is to test two evaluation methods that assess a surgeon's skills in the removal of mandibular third molar teeth. One method uses an objective checklist scale by which twenty components of the operation are judged as correct or incorrect. The second method is a global rating scale, that scores different aspects of performance, such as respect for tissue, number of manoeuvres, knowledge of procedure and instrument handling. Using these two methods, assessors judged the removal of 22 mandibular third molar teeth by 17 different surgeons. Good inter-rater reliability was achieved using both scales. A greater preference was expressed for the global rating scale for assessment and for the objective checklist scale for guiding feedback in training. Scales such as these need to be developed for, and tested on, different surgical procedures in order that credible assessment of surgical skills can be obtained.

Measurement of nitric oxide in temporomandibular joint saline aspirates.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) saline aspirates, obtained from the upper joint space of 17 patients undergoing TMJ arthroscopy under general anaesthesia were assayed for the presence of nitrite, a stable metabolite of nitric oxide by a spectrophotographic method using the Griess reaction. Measurable levels of nitrites were found in the saline aspirates of both symptomatic and asymptomatic joints. There was no statistically significant difference between the two sides. The presence of nitric oxide metabolites in the asymptomatic joints has not been previously reported in the literature. This finding may represent a latent disease process in the symptomless joint.

Are we really as good as we think we are?

Differences are examined in assessment and self-assessment scores, in oral and maxillofacial surgery trainees and MSc postgraduates, following the surgical removal of lower third molar teeth. This study found evidence of a surprising and worrying over-rating of their own surgical skills by many trainees and postgraduates.

The pathophysiology of pain.

The two most common types of pain presented to dentists are acute orofacial pain and chronic craniofacial pain. This article presents some newer concepts in the understanding of the pathophysiology of pain. Pain perception, modulation and transmission are briefly described, followed by a discussion of the physiological and biochemical aspects of chronic and recurrent facial pain.

Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder in patients with chronic idiopathic facial pain.

34 patients with chronic idiopathic orofacial pain were assessed by a structured clinical interview for diagnosis of mental disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R). Five (15%) had a history of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which coincided with the pain onset. The majority of these PTSD sufferers also had a personality disorder. The implications of these findings in the diagnosis and management of post-traumatic chronic TMJ pain syndromes is discussed.

Reconstruction of the eyebrow using a combination of hair-bearing composite graft and microsurgical hair follicle transplant techniques.

We present a patient whose eyebrow was restored following a road vehicle crash by a postauricular composite graft together with microfollicular hair transplants.

Temporomandibular joint synovial fluid analysis.

A method for the estimation of the synovial fluid volume of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is described. Patients are administered 1.2 g of aspirin and the concentration of salicylate in plasma and in saline aspirates of the TMJ is measured by a sensitive high performance liquid chromatography assay. The ratio of the concentration of salicylate in the saline aspirate to that in the plasma allows the volume of the synovial fluid to be calculated. The method would also allow the determination of the concentration and the absolute amount of putative mediators of pathology in the upper joint.

The role of open reduction and internal fixation in unilateral fractures of the mandibular condyle: a prospective study.

The purpose of this report is to present our experience in the management of unilateral condylar fractures between 1995 and 1998. This prospective study was carried out at a Regional Maxillofacial Unit and Teaching Hospital in the UK, and included 54 patients, of whom 32 attended for review. In all, 42 men and 12 women (age range 17-40 years) entered the study: 28 patients had unilateral fractures of the mandibular condyle alone; the remainder also had another mandibular fracture, invariably at the parasymphysis. Thirty-five of the patients (65%) had allegedly been assaulted. This is at variance with a recent study published by the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, which showed that only 24% of facial injuries were the result of inter-personal violence. Open reduction and internal fixation of the mandibular condyle seems to carry low morbidity and may be of considerable functional benefit to the patient.

A retrospective study of 66 titanium cranioplasties.

A review was undertaken to assess the outcome of treatment in 66 patients for whom a titanium prosthesis was provided for the repair of a calvarium defect. While many aspects were satisfactory, certain disappointing features led to a prospective pilot study which enabled the following problems to be identified: (a) poor communication between neurosurgeon and prosthetist; (b) difficulties in establishing the margins of the defect; (c) orientation of the prosthesis, and (d) marginal retention. All were overcome with an agreed protocol.

The role of oxygen free radicals in idiopathic facial pain.

Patients with chronic facial pain including those with facial arthromyalgia (TMJ dysfunction syndrome) were investigated for evidence of abnormal systemic and intra-articular free radical activity. Chronic facial pain patients showed significantly raised serum 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid after an oral dose of 1.2 g of aspirin which indicates increased systemic free radical activity. This was reflected in the TMJ aspirates of the facial arthromyalgia patients which contained thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBA-RS) which is also a product of free radical activity. The synovial aspirates also contained high levels of the hyperalgesic eicosanoid 15-HETE. However, there was no difference between the painful and symptom-free joints, which suggested that in part the clinical features are probably determined by asymmetrical masticatory function or as yet unknown algesic factors such as local cytokine production.

Rehabilitation of severe maxillary atrophy with zygomatic implants. Clinical report of four cases.

Rehabilitation of the severely resorbed maxilla poses a difficult challenge, for both restorative and surgical colleagues, as the typically large maxillary sinuses in this group of patients require extensive bone grafting if root form dental implant placement is considered. Acceptance is low, due to disadvantages associated with: i) an additional surgical procedure for an iliac bone graft harvesting and, ii) an overall delay in delivery of the final implant-supported prosthesis. The zygomatic implant placement procedure does not require any adjunctive procedures. Furthermore, the ability to immediately use existing dentures and the lack of need for bone grafting and prolonged hospitalisation makes this treatment modality more acceptable to the patient. Four cases are reported that demonstrate the successful treatment of a severely atrophic maxilla with either a fixed prosthesis supported by two zygomatic and a minimum of three standard dental implants or an overdenture supported by two zygomatic and one standard dental implant.

A comparative stereologic and ultrastructural study of blood vessels in odontogenic keratocysts and dentigerous cysts.

Blood vessels were investigated both stereologically and ultrastructurally in keratocyst and dentigerous cyst. The volume and surface densities of blood vessels in 15 keratocysts and dentigerous cysts were analyzed stereologically. No significant differences were found between them using these parameters, suggesting that their overall vascularity may be similar. However, the ultrastructural study showed marked differences between blood vessels in these two types of cysts. It was observed that fenestrated capillaries were found only in keratocysts. In addition, degeneration of endothelial lining associated with thrombosis was also a prominent feature of this cyst. While ruptured endothelium, narrow lumen and Weibel-Palade bodies were characteristic of vessels in dentigerous cyst. The presence of fenestrated capillaries in keratocyst and not in dentigerous cyst might indicate a rapid transfer of fluid to meet the demand of the relatively active proliferating epithelium, which may be promoted by growth factors released from platelets in those thrombosed vessels.

Effect of orthognathic surgery on the temporomandibular joint in patients with anterior open bite.

This study examined the prevalence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) signs and symptoms in patients with anterior open bite. The influence of orthognathic surgery on the TMJ in these patients and the interaction of occlusal and psychologic variables on the presence and/or persistence of pain was studied. A retrospective survey of 83 patients with an anterior open bite who underwent orthognathic surgery was carried out. Records were examined for the prevalence of abnormal TMJ signs and symptoms, including pain. A survey was mailed to these patients that consisted of: (1) the TMJ Scale, (2) the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL90), (3) the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and (4) a visual analog scale on which patients indicated their degree of satisfaction with the procedure. Thirty-seven (42%) patients responded to the survey, and 13 (15%) also attended a clinical and radiographic examination. Multiple regression analysis was used for statistical analysis of the factors contributing to the presence and/or persistence of pain. In the preoperative group, the prevalence of pain was 32%, dysfunction 40%, and limitation of opening 7%. Age and gender were significantly associated with the presence of pain. The overall prevalence of abnormal TMJ signs and symptoms was not significantly different after orthognathic surgery. An abnormal psychologic profile was the most significant factor associated with the presence and/or persistence of pain. It is concluded that that the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in anterior open bite patients increases with age, is significantly higher in females, and is not influenced by other occlusal variables. Furthermore, orthognathic surgery does not significantly influence temporomandibular disorders in patients with anterior open bite. Female patients, particularly those with an abnormal psychologic profile, are at a higher risk of persistent postoperative TMJ pain.