• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2022

Background: Postoperative analgesia (POA) is an important determinant of successful treatment. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) has recently gained attention as a promising adjuvant to local anesthetics (LA). The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of levobupivacaine (LB) as an adjuvant during inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in the extraction of lower impacted third molars (LITM). Methods: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, triple-blind, parallel-arm, and clinical study was performed on 50 systemically healthy participants who required removal of an asymptomatic LITM. Using a 1:1 distribution, the participants were randomized into two groups (n = 25). Group L (control group) received 1.8 mL of 0.5% LB and 0.2 mL normal saline (placebo) and Group D (study group) received a blend of 1.8 mL of 0.5% LB and 0.2 mL (20 ㎍) DEX. The primary outcome variable was the duration of POA and hemodynamic stability, and the secondary variable was the total number of analgesics required postoperatively for up to 72 h. The participants were requested to record the time of rescue analgesic use and the total number of rescue analgesics taken. The area under the curve was plotted for the total number of analgesics administered. The pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale. Data analysis was performed using paired students and unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, and receiver operating characteristic analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The latency, profoundness of anesthesia, and duration of POA were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The differences between mean pain scores at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h were found to be significant (each P = 0.0001). Fewer analgesics were required by participants in group D (2.12 ± 0.33) than in L (4.04 ± 0.67), with a significant difference (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Perineurally administered LA with DEX is a safe, effective, and therapeutic approach for improving latency, providing profound POA, and reducing the need for postoperative analgesia.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.260-269
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• 2019

The prolonged neglect of the posterior teeth missing area may cause mesial drift, extrusion, unexpected movement of the adjacent teeth and alveolar bone loss with occlusion collapse. Therefore it is recommended to treat that area by the prosthesis as soon as possible after tooth missing. However, if orthodontic treatment is applied to move the remained teeth, it can create improved biomechanical dentoalveolar environment. The use of the third molars in teeth missing area provides advantages as optimizing of prosthesis size. However, crown shape, location, soundness of the third molar and possible of eruption failure should be considered. In this case report, two patients closed a second teeth missing site and reduced the size of the first and second teeth missing area for an implant by protraction of impacted third molars. This case reports the considerations for closing or reducing the posterior teeth space with protracting the third molars by comparing two patients.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.39
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• pp.29.1-29.5
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• 2017

Background: The surgical extraction of the third molar is the most frequently encountered procedure in oral and maxillofacial surgery and is related with a variety of complications. This study examined the efficacy of intentional partial odontectomy (IPO) in the third molars which have no periapical lesions and are located near important anatomical structures such as inferior alveolar nerve. Methods: Seven patients (four males, three females, $39.1{\pm}11.6years$), who received IPO to reduce the risk of inferior alveolar nerve injury (IANI), were followed long-term. The treated teeth were horizontally impacted third molars in the mandibular left (n = 5) or mandibular right (n = 4) areas and were all ankylosed with the surrounding alveolar bone. During the IPO, the bone around the crown was removed to expose the crown, and then the tooth was resected at cement-enamel junction (CEJ). Any secondary trauma to the healthy root was minimized and remained intact after primary suture. Results: The mean follow-up time was $63.2{\pm}29.8months$, and all sites showed good bone healing after the crown removal. Also, sensory abnormality was not found in any patients after IPO. In one patient, the bone fragments erupted 4 months after IPO. In other patient, an implant placed on second molar site adjacent to the third molar that received IPO was explanted about 2 years after the patient's persistent discomfort. Conclusions: In case where high risk of IANI exists, IPO may be chosen alternatively to surgical extraction to reduce the risk of nerve damage.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.235-239
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• 2020

Objectives: Preoperative nervousness and anxiety are frequently encountered by individuals who undergo extractions of impacted wisdom teeth. The aim of the present study is to evaluate salivary alpha amylase (sAA) level in patients for assessment of stress during third molar surgery while listening to piano music and to determine its co-relation with pain catastrophizing scale (PCS). Materials and Methods: Seven patients (four males and three females) indicated for surgical extraction of bilaterally impacted mandibular third molars were included. Pre-surgical patient assessments were completed, and three samples of saliva were collected during surgery-one at baseline, one 30 minutes after commencement of surgery, and one after suturing. Assessment was performed on both sides separately with and without piano music, and the samples were assessed for sAA level and correlated with the patient's self-reported PCS. Results: Statistically significant results were obtained in patients who underwent surgical extraction while listening to piano music (P=0.046). The correlation of sAA level with PCS was not significant. Conclusion: Music demonstrated a beneficial effect on lowering the levels of stress and anxiety that a patient exhibits during any surgical procedure, and sAA can be a useful biomarker for similar assessments.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 2008

Purpose : To assess the diagnostic accuracy and value in an imaging technique field through the comparison of cone beam computed tomography and conventional panoramic radiography in assessing the topographic relationship between the mandibular canal and impacted third molars. Materials and Methods : Participants consisted of 100 patients offered the images through cone beam computed tomography and panoramic radiography. PSR-$9000^{TM}$ Dental CT system (Asahi Roentgen Ind. Co., Ltd, Japan) was used as the unit of cone beam computed tomography. CE-II (Asahi Roentgen Ind. Co., Ltd, Japan) and Pro Max (Planmeca Oy, Finland) were used as the unit of panoramic radiography. The images obtained through panoramic radiography were classified into 3 types according to the distance between mandibular canal and root of mandibular third molar. And they were classified into 4 types according to the proximity of radiographic feature. The images obtained through cone beam computed tomography based on the classification above were classified into 4 types according to the location between the mandibular canal and the root and were analyzed. And they were classified into buccal, inferior, lingual, and between roots, according to the location between mandibular canal and root. The data were statistically analyzed and estimated by $X^2$-test. Results : 1. There was no statistical significance according to 3 types (type I, type II, type III) through CBCT. 2. The results of 4 types (type A, type B, type C, type D) through CBCT were as high prevalence of CBCT 1 in type A, CBCT 2 in type B, CBCT 3 in type C, and CBCT1 in type D and those of which showed statistical significance (P value=0.03). 3. The results according to location between mandibular canal and root through CBCT recorded each 49, 25, 17, 9 as buccal, inferior, lingual, between roots. Conclusion : When estimating the mandibular canal and the roots through the panoramic radiography, it could be difficult to drive the views of which this estimation was considerable. Thus it is required to have an accurate diagnostic approaching through CBCT that could estimate the location between mandibular canal and roots.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2010

Background: Articaine, commercially available in South Korea from 2004, is widely being used for dental treatments. In the surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars, one of the most common procedures in oral and maxillofacial surgery, the anesthetic efficacy of 4% articaine and 2% lidocaine, both with 1：100,000 epinephrine, was compared. Methods: A randomized double-blind clinical trial was conducted of 80 patients for bilateral surgical extraction of mandibular third molars with informed consents. One operator carried out the routine surgical procedures using local anesthetic 4% articaine or 2% lidocaine with the same concentration of vasoconstrictor. Latency, duration of anesthesia and the amount of anesthetic solution were recorded. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the intraoperative pain. Results: The pain VAS scores reported similar anesthetic effect with both local anesthetics. Not in the latency of anesthesia and the amount of anesthetic solution, statistically significant difference was found in the mean duration of anesthesia. Conclusions: It was concluded that 4% articaine could offer better or at least the same clinical feasibility compared to 2% lidocaine, particularly in terms of the duration of the local anesthesia for common dental treatments.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2024

Objectives: Surgical intervention for removal of an impacted third molar can lead to significant pain and swelling. Corticosteroids show promise for mitigating postoperative sequelae across various surgical contexts. The use of corticosteroids following minor oral surgery, though controversial, has already been proven effective. However, little research has explored peroral prescription of corticosteroids despite its convenience for outpatients and for non-surgeons like implantologists and periodontists and others who don't have access to needle injections. The aim of this study was to address a void in the literature by comparing the effects of two styles of preoral administration of prednisolone after surgical removal of the mandibular third molar and to determine which style minimizes postoperative sequelae. Materials and Methods: A randomized, split-mouth clinical study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of two different styles of preoral prednisolone in mitigating postoperative sequelae following surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. Fifteen participants were enrolled in the study. Random selection was used to determine the prescription style for the right and left mandibular arch. Group A included those who received a single dose of prednisolone 25 mg, while group B received prednisolone 5 mg postoperatively for a period of three days (5 mg three times/day on the first postoperative day, 5 mg twice/day on the second postoperative day; 5 mg once/day on the third postoperative day). Results: There was a significant difference in the distance between the corner of the mouth and tragus, which decreased with the time interval with respect to group B when compared to group A. Conclusion: The present study showed that a three-day tapered dose of prednisolone postoperatively was more effective in reducing post-extraction sequelae than a single-dose regimen.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.443-450
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• 2022

Background: This double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted to evaluate the pre-emptive analgesia and anti-inflammatory efficacy of piroxicam compared with tramadol in patients undergoing oral surgery. Methods: Seventy-eight patients who required extraction of impacted mandibular third molars were randomized into three treatment groups of 26 patients each: group I received 100 mg of tramadol, group II received 20 mg of piroxicam, and group III received a placebo. Drugs were administered intramuscularly 30 min prior to the extraction procedure. Results: Pain intensity, time to first analgesic administration, total analgesic consumption, facial edema, and trismus were the outcomes of interest. The group receiving 20 mg of piroxicam showed significantly lower pain intensity, increased time to first analgesic, and reduced edema from preoperative to postoperative day seven than those in the tramadol and placebo groups. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that piroxicam had significant pain relief efficacy after third molar surgery compared with that in tramadol.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.363-370
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of postoperative submucosal injection of hyaluronidase (HUD) for reducing sequelae and quality of life (QOL) after mandibular third molar (M3M) surgery. Materials and Methods: Participants with bilateral impacted M3M underwent surgical extraction with a split-mouth randomized controlled study design. M3M were removed by the same surgeon in 2 sessions, one a control and the other experimental. Submucosal injection of HUD was performed in the experimental session and submucosal injection of saline in the control session. Mouth opening, facial swelling, and pain intensity were measured before surgery, and then 2 and 7 days after surgery. The QOL of participants following surgery was evaluated by means of a patient-centered outcome questionnaire (PCOQ). Results: A total of 36 patients was included in the final data analysis. There was a significant reduction in the maximal mouth opening and postoperative pain in the experimental side at the 2 and 7 days after surgery (P<0.05), and a remarkable difference in facial swelling was reported on the experimental side 7 days after surgery (P<0.05). The PCOQ demonstrated that participants reported less pain and swelling on the experimental side. Conclusion: The present study provides clinical evidence that submucosal administration of HUD immediately after M3M surgery reduced postoperative discomfort and improved patients' QOL.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.264-272
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• 2014

Maxillary canine is the most common impacted tooth except third molars. In Asian populations, labial impaction is more common than palatal impaction, but palatal impaction is three times more common than labial impaction in Caucasion. The incidence of maxillary canine impaction is known as 1~3%, and 12% of these cases are involved in the root resorption of the adjacent lateral incisor. In children, early diagnosis is important to prevent the impaction of maxillary canine through clinical and radiographic examinations. In addition, preventive measures should be considered at the proper time. These measures include the removal of deciduous canines and the expansion of the maxillary arch.