• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.313-323
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• 2020

Background: Previous studies have investigated the effects of dexamethasone injections into the pterygomandibular space and compared them to those of controls; however, the effects of dexamethasone injections before and after lower third molar surgery on postoperative complications have not been studied. This research investigated the postoperative sequelae of dexamethasone injections before and after surgery into the pterygomandibular space. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of preoperative and postoperative injections of 4 mg of dexamethasone into the pterygomandibular space on postoperative pain, facial swelling, and the restriction of mouth opening following lower third molar surgical removal. Methods: Twenty-seven participants with bilateral symmetrical lower impacted third molars were included in this study. Each participant was randomly allocated to one of two groups. Group A received injections of 1 ml dexamethasone (4 mg/mL) and 1 mL placebo into the pterygomandibular space before and after surgery, respectively. Group B received the same doses of placebo before surgery and dexamethasone after surgery. Results: A significant restriction of mouth opening on the second postoperative day was observed in both groups. Nonetheless, the postoperative restriction of mouth opening, facial swelling, postoperative pain, and analgesic consumption after lower third molar surgical removal were not significantly different in the two groups. Conclusions: Regardless of the time of administration, dexamethasone injections into the pterygomandibular space resulted in satisfactory control of the postoperative sequelae of the mandibular third molar surgical removal.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.242-245
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• 2013

Impacted mandibular third molars are located between the second mandibular molar and mandibular ramus. However, ectopic mandibular third molars with heterotopic positions are reported in the subcondylar or pterygomandibular space. The usual cause of malposition is a cyst or tumor, and malposition without a pathology is rare. This case report described an impacted mandibular third molar in the pterygomandibular space without any associated pathology.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 2021

Background: Impacted mandibular third molar removal is one of the most commonly performed oral surgical procedures. This procedure can lead to several postoperative complications, such as trismus, facial swelling, and pain, which occur as a result of the inflammatory responses to surgery. This study compared the efficiency of preoperative injections of 4 mg versus 8 mg dexamethasone into the pterygomandibular space to reduce postoperative sequelae. Methods: This was a randomized, prospective, split-mouth, controlled study, including 52 mandibular third molar surgeries in 26 patients. Each patient was randomized to either the 4 mg or 8 mg dexamethasone injection group. Dexamethasone was injected into the pterygomandibular space after numbness from local anesthesia. Data were collected for trismus, facial swelling, visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, and the number of analgesics taken during the evaluation period. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: Statistically significant differences in postoperative facial swelling (P = 0.031, diff = 1.4 mm) and pain (P = 0.012, diff = 0.020) were found between the 8 mg and 4 mg dexamethasone groups. However, there were no significant differences between the groups for trismus and the total number of analgesics consumed (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Compared to the 4 mg preoperative dexamethasone injection, the 8 mg preoperative dexamethasone injection into the pterygomandibular space was more effective in reducing postoperative swelling and pain following the surgical removal of the impacted mandibular third molar. However, the difference in trismus could not be evaluated clinically. Therefore, the recommendation of administering the 4 mg dexamethasone preoperative injection is optimal in the third molar surgical procedure.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2016

Background: Surgery on the lower impacted third molar usually involves trauma in the highly vascularized loose connective tissue area, leading to inflammatory sequelae including postoperative pain, swelling, and general oral dysfunction during the immediate post-operative phase. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of preoperative injection of a single dose of 8 mg dexamethasone for postoperative pain control in lower third molar surgery. Methods: A controlled, randomized, split-mouth, prospective study involving lower third molar surgery was performed in 31 patients. The randomized sampling group was preoperatively injected, after local anesthesia, with a single dose of dexamethasone (8 mg in 2 ml) through the pterygomandibular space; 2 ml of normal saline (with no dexamethasone) was injected as a placebo. Results: The pain VAS score was significantly different on the day of the operation compared to the first post-operative day (P = 0.00 and 0.01, respectively), but it was not significantly different on the third and seventh postoperative day between the control and study groups. There was a significant reduction in swelling on the second postoperative day, and a difference between the second postoperative day and baseline value in the study group (P < 0.05). Trismus was highly significantly different on the second postoperative day and between baseline and second postoperative day between the groups (P = 0.04 and 0.02, respectively). Descriptive statistics and independent-samples t- test were used to assess the significance of differences. Conclusions: Injection of 8 mg dexamethasone into the pterygomandibular space effectively reduced the postoperative pain and other postoperative sequalae.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.143-147
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• 2013

Mouth opening limitation is generally caused by masticatory muscle or temporomandibular joint pain, disc dislocation without reduction, adhesion or ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint, and muscle contracture. But otorhinolaryngologic disease, neurologic and vascular disease, tumor, inflammation and infection may cause pain and mouth opening limitation which mimics temporomandibular disorders. Re-evaluation for possibilities of inflammation, infection and tumor should be in cases that do not show symptom improvement or appear with continuous aggravation despite of proper treatment. In this case, we report of medial pterygoid muscle pain and mouth opening limitation caused by periapical abscess of third molar spread to the pterygomandibular space.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2004

Rhabdomyosarcoma, when it occurs in the head and neck, is primarily found in children. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma is rarely seen in the oral lesion, comparing to the embryonal and the pleomorphic variants. This is a report of a case of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma in the mandible in a ten-year old girl who complained of a non-painful swelling on the right cheek. The right lower 1st molar was mobile. Her radiographs revealed an extensive radiolucency with somewhat irregular border on the right mandibular ramus. The right mandibular 1st and 2nd molars lost their lamina dura and were floating. CT images revealed smooth-outlined soft tissue mass occupying the pterygomandibular space, the infratemporal space, and the masseteric muscle with thinning and perforation of the right mandibular angle and ramus. Histopathological and immunohistochemical findings established the final diagnosis of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.44 no.2 s.441
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• pp.139-144
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• 2006

Local anesthesia is routine procedure in dental practices and has several complication. One of them, needle fracture is not uncommon in past, but rare in recent. The number of cases reported in the literature of broken needle in local anesthetic procedure has shown a marked decrease since the use of disposable spiral-constructed dental needle began. This complication results from lack of patient cooperation, inaccurate anesthetic technique, sudden movement of patient, error in the manufacturing procedure, use of short needle, and bending before use. Most common site is pterygomandibular space during inf. alveolar nerve block. In two patients, we removed broken needles under general anesthesia without complication. So we report cases with review of literatures.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2011.12a
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• pp.326-329
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• 2011

Mortality associated with maxillofacial infection is relatively low due to the development of antibiotics, and improved oral care. However, inappropriate treatment, delayed treatment, old age, underlying systemic disease, and drug-resistant micro-organisms can potentially result in life threatening situations such as cavernous sinus thrombosis, mediastinitis, and sepsis. Sepsis is the most dangerous state with high mortality, ranging from 20~60%. The treatment of sepsis involves properly monitoring vital functions, fluid resuscitation, surgical drainage, and empirical use of high doses of antibiotics until culture results are available. Ventilatory support maybe be required as well. We encountered a 64-year-old patient who died from sepsis that developed as the result of an odontogenic infection. The initial diagnosis was right temporal, infraorbital, buccal, pterygomandibular space abscess. Despite surgical and medical supportive care, the condition progressed to sepsis and after four days the patient died due to multiple organ failure.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.162-168
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• 2007

Oral and maxillofacial infection is the oldest and most common disease in human history. The infection ranges from the low-grade infection that only requires minimal treatment to the high-grade and life-threatening fascial space infection. In this study, the data on oral and maxillofacial infections were analyzed to aid in the diagnosis and treatment, and to predict the prognosis. This report was based on data from 831 patients with oral and maxillofacial infection (394 males and 437 females) who were hospitalized in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery of Chosun University Dental Hospital from January 1998 to May 2005. The ratio of males to females was 0.9:1. By age, patients between 60 and 70 years old were the greatest in number (17.1%), while only 5.9% of the patients were between 10 and 20 years old. The most common cause of infection was odontogenic origin (84.4%), followed by post-extraction infection (6.2%), unknown (5.9%), and trauma (3.5%). The most common fascial space involved was the buccal space (39.4%), followed by the canine (20.6%), submandibular (15.9%), pterygomandibular (9.5%), submental (7.6%) and sublingual (2.8%) space. The number of the involved fascial space was one (75.2%), two (19.8%), or more than three (5.0%). In terms of the treatment duration, the hospitalization period of 6 to 10 days was the greatest in number (49.9%). All patients had uneventful recovery without major complication. There are statistically significant correlations between age and treatment period, and the involved space and treatment period, but no correlations between the variables of sex and treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.118-128
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• 2001

Two major salivary glands, submandibular duct, lingual nerve, and vessels are situated beneath the mouth floor. Among these, passing through the pterygomandibular space, lingual nerve is innervated to the lingual gingiva and the mucosa of mouth floor, and is responsible for the general sensation of the anterior two thirds of the tongue. So, the injury of the lingual nerve during an anesthesia or surgery in the retromolar area may cause complications such as a numbness, a loss of taste of the tongue and the other dysfunctions. Therefore, to find out the morphology and the course of lingual nerve and to clarify the topographical relationships of lingual nerve at the infratemporal fossa and paralingual space area, 32 Korean hemi-sectioned heads were dissected macroscopically and microscopically with a viewpoint of clinical aspect in this study. This study demonstrated various anatomical characteristics with relation to the course and topography of the lingual nerve in Koreans. And clinical significances based on the anatomical variations through the topography of the courses and communications between the mandibular nerve branches were described in details.