• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.171-174
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• 2004

The present study reports a case of developmental salivary gland defect. On panoramic examination, large radiolucent lesion surrounded by a sclerotic wall was noted in the right posterior mandible. On CT examination, large lingual bone concavity with extra-osseous course of the inferior alveolar nerve bundle was detected. In atypical cases, it is suggested that confirmatory imaging using CT or MRI should be taken.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.37 no.4 s.359
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• pp.279-286
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• 1999

In patients with severely atrophic mandibular posterior area, implant placement is a problematic surgical procedure. Inferior alveolar nerve transpositioning technique offers better initial stability of implant and reduce the risk of permanent nerve damages. In this case report, the patient has bilateral atrophic mandibular posterior edentulous area. We placed 3 implants on each mandibular posterior area in conjunction with bilateral inferior alveolar nerve transpositioning to achieve sufficient bone height. The patient complained of paresthesia in lower lip and chin area and ptosis of lower lip after surgery. Neurosensory function was normal in 10 weeks after surgery.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.488-496
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• 2004

Oral & Maxillofacial surgery can lead to complications that result in abnormal sensation or movement. Inferior alveolar nerve(IAN) injury can result in dysesthesia, paresthsia of the lower lip and chin, so patients presenting with IAN damage suffer from sensory loss. But diagnosis of the nerve injury is largely limited to the subjective statements made by the patient. Distribution of sympathetic nerves parallels the distribution of the somatosensory nerves. Loss of sensory tone causes a concomitant loss of sympathetic activity, resulting in vasodilation of the cutaneous blood vessels that demonstrates greater heat loss. Digital infrared thermographic imaging(DITI) detects infra-red radiation given off by body. DITI can detect minute difference in temperature from different parts of the body and translates the amount of heat into quantitative data. The area of different temperature correlated with pain or disease can be visualized by corresponding color. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of DITI in objectively assessing IAN injury. The 19 normal subjects and the 14 patients underwent DITI scan. The normal subjects received unilateral IAN block anesthesia with 2 ml of 2% lidocaine (IAN bolck group) to evaluate temporary alteration in nerve function. Patient group were patients with unilateral IAN damage (dysesthesia or paresthesia) after surgical treatment(Mn. 3rd molar Extraction, etc.). The surgical procedure performed within 6 months of test. The results were as follows. 1. No significant differences in temperature were found between left and right sides of the lower lip and chin in the control group. 2. Significant temperature differences were found between the anesthetized and non-anesthetized sides of the lower lip and chin in the IAN block group. 3. Significant temperature differences were found between the involved and uninvolved sides of the lower lip and chin areas of the experimental group. The results of the study show that DITI can be an useful and effective means of objectively assessing and visualizing IAN damage.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.84-91
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• 2020

The present study investigated the participation of D-serine and NR2 in antinociception produced by blockade of central erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma (Eph) A4 (EphA4) signaling in rats with trigeminal neuropathic pain. Trigeminal neuropathic pain was modeled in male Sprague-Dawley rats using mal-positioned dental implants. The left mandibular second molar was extracted under anesthesia, and a miniature dental implant was placed to induce injury to the inferior alveolar nerve. Our current findings showed that nerve injury induced by malpositioned dental implants significantly produced mechanical allodynia; additionally, the inferior alveolar nerve injury increased the expression of D-serine and NR2 subunits in the ipsilateral medullary dorsal horn (trigeminal subnucleus caudalis). Intracisternal administration of EphA4-Fc, an EphA4 inhibitor, inhibited nerve injury-induced mechanical allodynia and upregulated the expression of D-serine and NR2 subunits. Moreover, intracisternal administration of D-amino acids oxidase, a D-serine inhibitor, inhibited trigeminal mechanical allodynia. These results show that D-serine and NR2 subunit pathways participate in central EphA4 signaling after an inferior alveolar nerve injury. Therefore, blockade of D-serine and NR2 subunit pathways in central EphA4 signaling provides a new therapeutic target for the treatment of trigeminal neuropathic pain.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.261-268
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• 1996

An experimental study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of nerve growth factor(NGF) on inferior alveolar nerve in a rabbit model. In 20 New Zealand white rabbits, 14mm of bilat eral alveolar nerve were resected and the defects were repaired with the 17mm silicone conduits. In group I, 5mm autologous nerve segment were located centrally in the left side after tubulization and NGF solution(Sigma chemical 0.1 mg/mL) was instilled into each conduit. In group II, nerve repair modality was the same but no NGF solution was instilled into the conduits. On 2 months and 6 months postoperatively, the results were evaluated by clinical and hist omorphometric assessment. The result was that autologous nerve segment group show the best nerve regeneration effect and NGF instilled group the worst.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2007

Iatrogenic injury following dental treatments and the use of local anesthetics may cause taste disorders. The aims of this study were to investigate quantitative and qualitative changes of taste due to unilateral inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia and further to evaluate potential effects on taste function related to anesthesia or hypoesthesia of inferior alveolar nerve, possibly occurring after dental procedure. 30 healthy volunteers in their twenties participated in this study (male to female = 1:1, mean age of $24.0{\pm}1.8$ years). Each subject received inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia on his or her right side with 2% lidocaine HCl containing 1:100,000 epinephrine. Before and after anesthesia, electrogustometric test and chemical localized test for salty, sweet, sour and bitter tastes were performed on the eight sites in the oral cavity; right and left anterior and lateral tongue and circumvallate papilla of the tongue and soft palate. Unilateral inferior alveolar nerve anesthesia produced elevation of electrical taste threshold and reduction of intensity ratings for all 4 tastes (salty, sweet, sour and bitter) over anterior and lateral tongue and circumvallate papilla on the ipsilateral side (p<0.05). Contralateral sides exhibited decreased intensity ratings for salty and sweet taste (p<0.05) on anterior and lateral tongue while there was no significant difference in electrogustometric testing. Based on the results of this study, it is assumed that unilateral local anesthesia on inferior alveolar nerve can affect chorda tympani and glossopharyngeal nerves on the same side, leading to taste deficits. Taste intensity on the contralateral side may, in part, be deteriorated as well.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.136-142
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• 2021

Purpose: Oral and facial sensation is affected by various factors, including trauma and disease. This study assessed the clinical profile of patients diagnosed with sensory dysfunction and investigated their sensory perception using simple qualitative sensory tests. Methods: Based on a retrospective review of the medical records, we analyzed a total of 68 trigeminal nerve branches associated with sensory dysfunction in 52 subjects. We analyzed the frequency and etiology of sensory dysfunction, and the frequency of different types of sensory perception in response to qualitative sensory testing using tactile and pin-prick stimuli. Results: The inferior alveolar nerve branch was the most frequently involved in sensory dysfunction (88.5%). Third molar extraction (36.5%) and implant surgery (36.5%) were the most frequent etiological factors associated with sensory dysfunction. Hypoesthesia was the most frequent sensory response to tactile stimuli (60.3%). Pin-prick stimuli elicited hyperalgesia, hypoalgesia, and analgesia in 32.4%, 27.9%, and 36.8%, respectively. A significant association was found between the two kinds of stimuli (p=0.260). Conclusions: Sensory dysfunction frequently occurs in the branches of the trigeminal nerve, including the inferior alveolar nerve, mainly due to trauma associated with dental treatment. Simple qualitative sensory testing can be conveniently used to screen sensory dysfunction in patients with altered sensation involving oral and facial regions.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.379-385
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to present basic data that is needed in comprehension of dysesthesia after mandibular nerve injury and grasp meaning. We analyzed medical records of 59 patients who were diagnosed as dysesthesia after mandibular nerve injury from January 2007 to July 2009. The results are summarized as follows. 1. The most frequent cause was implant surgery (59%) and the most frequent injured branch of mandibular nerve was inferior alveolar nerve(81%). 2. The period passed after nerve injury showed significant interrelationship with level of pain. Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) increased from 4.82 to 6.91 after 6 month. 3. The period passed after nerve injury did not show significant interrelationship with recovery of dysesthesia. But, when conservative treatment was offered at earlier stage, ratio of patients who showed recovery of symptom tended to increase. 4. In computed tomography, level of invasion into inferior alveolar nerve canal did not show significant interrelationship with level of pain and recovery of dysesthesia. Conclusively, in the patients with dysesthesia of mandibular nerve, inferior alveolar nerve injury by dental implant surgery dominated most significant problem. Although level of invasion into inferior alveolar nerve is the most important factor to initiation of dysesthesia, there are other various factors exert more influence on the level of pain or recovery of dysesthesia. Therefore, begining conservative therapy at earlier stage is encouraged. Also, because nerve injuries can occur without direct invasion into nerve canal, so leaving enough safe space from nerve canal is needed for prevention of indirect nerve injury.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.89-93
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• 2005

Intraosseous neurilemmoma(Schwannoma) is an extremely rare benign neoplasm. The site most commonly involved is the mandible. This occurrence is understandable because of the length of the inferior alveolar canal through the mandible. No other bone contains a canal that transmits a neurovascular bundle of such size and length. We report on a peripheral and central neurilemmoma along pathway of inferior alveolar nerve of the lower lip and mandible in a 28-year old man. A panoramic radiograph of the mandible showed a well-defined bilocular lesion with a thin uniform sclerotic margin located in the ramus and body of the mandible. The CT scan confirmed a well-defined lesion with thinning of the cortex of the body of the left side of the mandible. Histologically, the lesion was a cellular neoplasm with distinct palisading and numerous Verocay bodies. Complete excision was achieved by removing the tumor with the inferior alveolar nerve.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.232-235
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• 2012

Hypoesthesia after an inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) block does not commonly occur, but some cases are reported. The causes of hypoesthesia include a needle injury or toxicity of local anesthetic agents, and the incidence itself can cause stress to both dentists and patients. This case presents a hypoesthesia on mental nerve area followed by IAN block anesthesia with 2% lidocaine. Prescription of steroids for a week was performed and periodic follow up was done. After 1 wk, the symptoms got much better and after 4 mon, hypoesthesia completely disappeared. During this healing period, only early steroid medication was prescribed. In most cases, hypoesthesia is resolved within 6 mon, but being aware of etiology and the treatment options of hypoesthesia is important. Because the hypoesthesia caused by IAN block anesthesia is a mild to moderate nerve injury, early detection of symptom and prescription of steroids could be helpful for improvement of the hypoesthesia.