• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.174-178
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• 2019

A fungal ball (FB) of the paranasal sinuses is a chronic, non-invasive fungal sinusitis defined as the accumulation of dense aggregation of fungal hyphae in a sinus cavity. A patient with FB infection in a sinus cavity has usually non-specific symptoms such as post-nasal drip, nasal congestion, headache. However, facial pain and toothache can be developed if FB infection is in maxillary sinus. The aim of this case report is to present two cases of FB of the maxillary sinus which caused toothache in the upper molar region. It is also to make dental practitioners consider the non-odontogenic origins of toothache and to pay special attention to avoid unnecessary dental treatment.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제49권2호
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• pp.35-39
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• 2024

Osteomyelitis of the jaw is an inflammatory process of the bone marrow that is caused by odontogenic local infection and trauma such as tooth extraction and fractures in the oral and maxillofacial region. The clinical signs include pain, swelling, pus formation, and limited mouth opening. Chronic osteomyelitis presents a diagnostic challenge because of the variability of symptoms across different disease stages and varying health conditions of the patients. This report presents a case of osteomyelitis that was misdiagnosed as a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) after tooth extraction. The patient was treated for inflammation after tooth extraction in the early stage; however, as the osteomyelitis progressed chronically, symptoms mimicked those of a TMD. The patient was finally diagnosed with osteomyelitis 6 months after tooth extraction. A review of this case and relevant literature revealed the necessity for a differential diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis that mimics TMD symptoms.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.136-141
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• 2018

Oral cancer is a malignant neoplasm of the lips or oral cavity. Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy depending on the location and stage of the tumor can be considered as important treatment modalities of oral cancer. Unfortunately, all three treatments can have both acute and chronic complications. Among them, trismus and osteoradionecrosis (ORN), unique complications of radiotherapy in the orofacial region, are particularly difficult to treat once manifested. Therefore, these two complications of radiotherapy have devastating effects on the patient's oral health and furthermore, overall quality of life. In this study, we present a case of a patient showing trismus and ORN following radiotherapy for the treatment of maxillary squamous cell carcinoma and briefly discuss this matter of trismus and ORN in the perspective of a dentist.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.39-43
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• 2020

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is a rare idiopathic inflammatory bone disease characterized by pain and swelling without any detectable infectious factors, the main feature is mild to moderate bone pain. CRMO commonly develops in the metaphyses of long bones and clavicles in children or adolescents. Chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is the isolated form of CRMO and the etiology of CNO is still unclear. This report describes a rare case of CNO of the mandible in an 8-year-old female patient. On the basis of clinical, histological, and radiological findings, CNO was diagnosed. The patient was asymptomatic after surgical curettage followed by antibiotic therapy. Cone beam CT scan revealed a nearly completed bone healing after three months.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.67-72
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• 2018

Historically, Eagle syndrome is a term that has been used to describe radiating pain in the orofacial region, foreign body sensation, and/or dysphagia due to a unilateral or bilateral elongated styloid process impinging upon the tonsillar region. Because elongated styloid processes-with or without associated Eagle syndrome-can present with various symptoms and radiographic findings, it can be challenging for healthcare practitioners to formulate an accurate diagnosis. Abnormal styloid anatomy can lead to a multitude of symptoms, including chronic orofacial/neck pain, thus masquerading as more commonly diagnosed conditions. In this report, we describe a patient who presented to our department with styloid process elongation and fracture. A careful history, physical examination, and a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) investigation led to the diagnosis. The patient was then referred for appropriate care. This case report demonstrates the utilization of CBCT in differentiating a fracture site from a pseudo-joint that might mimic a fracture.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.191-197
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• 2016

The present study was to evaluate effects of vitamin E on intravenous administration of lidocaine-induced antinociception. Experiments were carried out using male Sprague-Dawley rats. Orofacial formalin-induced nociceptive behavioral responses were used as the orofacial animal pain model. Subcutaneous injection of formalin produced significant nociceptive scratching behavior. Intraperitoneal injection of 5 and 10 mg/kg of lidocaine attenuated formalin-induced nociceptive behavior in the 2nd phase, compared to the vehicle-treated group. Intraperitoneal injection of 1 g/kg of vitamin E also attenuated the formalin-induced nociceptive behavior in the 2nd phase, compared to the vehicle-treated group. However, low dose of vitamin E (0.5 g/kg) did not affect the nociceptive behavioral responses produced by subcutaneous injection of formalin. The present study also investigated effects of intraperitoneal injection of both vitamin E and lidocaine on orofacial formalin-induced behavioral responses. Vehicle treatment affected neither formalin-induced behavioral responses nor lidocaine-induced antinociceptive effects. However, intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 g/kg of vitamin E enhanced the lidocaine-induced antinociceptive effects in the 2nd phase compared to the vehicle-treated group. Intraperitoneal injection of naloxone, an opioid receptor antagonist, did not affect antinociception produced by intraperitoneal injections of both vitamin E and lidocaine. These results suggest that treatment with vitamin E enhances the systemic treatment with lidocaine-induced antinociception and reduces side effects when systemically treated with lidocaine. Therefore, the combined treatment with vitamin E and lidocaine is a potential therapeutic for chronic orofacial pain.

• 대한치과의사협회지
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• 제49권6호
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• pp.327-333
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• 2011

Clinically, treatment goal of neuropathic pain focused on not elimination of etiology but management and control of symptoms because we don't know certain about clear etiology of neuropathic pain yet. The drugs used for the management of neuropathic pain were classified as drugs with strong evidence for benefit(antidepressants, anticonvulsants, opioid analgesics etc.), modest evidence for benefit(mexiletine, carbamazepine, clonidine etc.), preliminary evidence for benefit(NSAIDs, dextromethorphan, topiramate etc.). Finally, the treatment for trigeminal neuralgia was outlined separately since this disorder responds to a different group of drugs than other neuropathic pain conditions.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.161-168
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• 2016

Purpose: Patients who suffer from rheumatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, other various inflammatory diseases and musculoskeletal disorders, which are all similar to temporomandibular disorders (TMD), have been complaining about changes in the level and type of pain in response to changes in weather conditions for a long time. Through an investigation about pain perception in TMD patients in response to weather conditions, our primary objective was to develop base materials for future studies on change in pain in response to meteorological factors. Methods: Among patients who presented with TMD to Department of Oral Medicine, Pusan National University Dental Hospital from August to October 2016, one hundred consecutive TMD patients diagnosed with TMDs according to Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) were recruited for the study and 28 patients were excluded according to exclusion criteria. Survey was done with the questionnaire and investigated whether there was any difference in incidence and level of pain in TMD patients between non-rainy and rainy days. Results: Among a total of 72 samples, 4 patients reported change in pain on rainy days rather than non-rainy days. Two patients from chronic group (joint and complex subgroup) reported increased pain on rainy days rather than non-rainy days but it was not statistically significant (p>0.05). One patient from chronic/muscle group reported the change in pain characteristics while pain intensity remained unchanged. One patient from acute/complex group reported decreased pain intensity. In comparison of the patients who reported increased pain on rainy days between acute and chronic groups, there were two reported cases and were both from chronic group only. There was a significantly higher chance of reporting increased pain on rainy days in chronic group than acute group (p<0.001). Conclusions: It is considered that TMD patients couldn't perceive the change in pain well in response to weather change on rainy days but some chronic patients could perceive the increase in pain in rainy days.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.21-24
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• 2011

구강건조증이란 주관적인 구강 내 건조감으로 정의되며, 이는 약물, 타액선 질환, 방사선 치료, 쉐그렌 증후군, 심리적 요인 등과 같은 다양한 원인에서 비롯된다. 구강 건조증 환자 중 현저한 타액선 기능 감소가 존재하는 경우 구강캔디다증, 치아우식증, 치주질환, 미각변화, 구취 등의 병발증이 나타날 수 있다. 이러한 구강건조증의 치료로는 우선적으로 구강건조를 유발하는 원인요소를 제거하거나, 환자의 불편감을 감소시키기 위한 대증요법이 주가 되며 실제로 타액 분비 기능이 감소된 경우 이로 인한 합병증을 예방하기 위한 치료와 타액분비를 자극할 수 있는 약물치료를 시행할 수 있다. 이 중 타액분비를 촉진시키는 약물인 필로카핀은 구강건조증 치료제로 널리 사용되어 왔다. 하지만 발한작용, 비뇨기 및 위장관계의 비정상적인 기능유도, 심혈관계 및 호흡기계에 대한 위험 등의 부작용이 있어 천식, 만성폐질환, 심혈관계 질환자에게는 주의 깊은 사용이 요구되며, 특히 조절되지 않는 천식환자의 경우 필로카핀의 절대적 금기증으로 사용이 금지된다. 이처럼 구강건조증 치료에 있어 필로카핀은 부작용으로 인해 전신적인 투여에 많은 제한이 있다. 따라서, 필로카핀의 부작용을 최소화하기 위해 국소적으로 사용되는 방법 중의 하나인 필로카핀 양치액을 이용하여 치료한 증례를 통해 그 효과를 확인해보고자 하였다.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.44-48
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• 2017

Chronic temporomandibular joint dislocation is defined as an acute dislocation that cannot be reduced or that recurs for more than one month. The management of dislocation depends on patient status and the duration of dislocation and ranges from conservative reduction to a surgical approach. In the present cases, a 64-year-old male was referred to our department for treatment of chronic dislocation for 6 weeks. The dislocation might be occurred by endotracheal intubation. A 70-year-old female was referred to our department with repeat right condyle dislocation after reduction of dislocation at a local clinic. When she visited for later treatment of new dentures, her condyle had been dislocated again for several weeks. In both cases, we tried to treat the dislocation with several manipulations, which were unsuccessful. Finally, chronic dislocation was successfully treated by surgical traction under general anesthesia without relapse. Surgical traction is a simple, effective option with the lowest morbidity of surgical procedures for chronic dislocation when conservative reduction is unsuccessful.