• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.347-353
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• 2023

This case report presents inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) repositioning as a viable approach for implant placement in the mandibular molar region, where challenges of severe alveolar bone width and height deficiencies can exist. Two patients requiring implant placement in the right mandibular molar region underwent nerve transposition and lateralization. In both cases, inadequate alveolar bone height above the IAN precluded the use of short implants. The first patient exhibited an overall low alveolar ridge from the anterior to posterior regions, with a complex relationship with adjacent implant bone level and the mental nerve, complicating vertical augmentation. In the second case, although vertical bone resorption was not severe, the high positioning of the IAN within the alveolar bone due to orthognathic surgery raised concerns regarding adequate height of the implant prosthesis. Therefore, instead of onlay bone grafting, nerve transposition and lateralization were employed for implant placement. In both cases, the follow-up results demonstrated successful osseointegration of all implants and complete recovery of postoperative numbness in the lower lip and mentum area. IAN repositioning is a valuable surgical technique that allows implant placement in severely compromised posterior mandibular regions, promoting patient comfort and successful implant placement without permanent IAN damage.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.127-135
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• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the computed tomography (CT) imaging findings and clinical symptoms of patients who complained of neurosensory disturbances after mandibular implant surgery, and to investigate the relationships of these parameters with the prognosis for recovery. Methods: CT scans were reviewed in 56 patients with nerve disturbance after mandibular implant surgery. Two oral radiologists classified the imaging findings into intrusion, contact, close, and separate groups according to the distance from the inferior border of the implant to the roof of the mandibular canal (MC). The symptoms of 56 patients were classified into 8 groups and the frequency of each group was investigated. Patients were categorized according to symptom improvement into no recovery and recovery groups, and the relationships of recovery with the CT classification and specific symptom groups were analyzed. Results: Thirty-eight of the 56 nerve disturbance cases showed improvement. The close and separate groups in the CT classification had a strong tendency for recovery (90.9% and 81.8%, respectively) (P<0.05). Although the lowest recovery rate was found in the intrusion group, it was non-negligible, at 50%. The 6 patients with a worm crawling feeling all improved, while the 8 cases with a tightening sensation showed the lowest recovery rate, at 12.5%, and the symptom of a tightening sensation occurred only in the intrusion and contact groups. Conclusions: The closer the implant fixture was to the MC on CT images, the less likely the patient was to recover. Regarding paresthesia symptoms, while a worm crawling feeling is thought to be a predictor of recovery, a tightening sensation appeared to be associated with a lower recovery rate.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this study was to review the common conditions associated with mandibular canal widening. Materials and Methods: General search engines and specialized databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, PubMed Central, Science Direct, and Scopus were used to find relevant studies by using the following keywords: "mandibular canal," "alveolar canal," "inferior alveolar nerve canal," "inferior dental canal," "inferior mandibular canal," "widening," "enlargement," "distension," "expansion," and "dilation." Results: In total, 130 articles were found, of which 80 were broadly relevant to the topic. We ultimately included 38 articles that were closely related to the topic of interest. When the data were compiled, the following 7 lesions were found to have a relationship with mandibular canal widening: non-Hodgkin lymphoma, osteosarcoma, schwannoma, neurofibroma, vascular malformation/hemangioma, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes, and perineural spreading or invasion. Conclusion: When clinicians encounter a lesion associated with mandibular canal widening, they should immediately consider these entities in the differential diagnosis. Doing so will help dentists make more accurate diagnoses and develop better treatment plans based on patients' radiographs.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.270-276
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• 2001

The treatment of mandibular subcondylar fractures is a matter of controversy. The majority of mandibular subcondylar fracture are treated by closed reduction, but the displaced or dislocated mandibular subcondylar fractures may be treated by open reduction. The characteristics of open reduction are the anatomical reduction, the functional restoration, the rapid function, the maintenance of vertical ramus dimension, the better appearance and the less resultant TMJ problem etc. When an open reduction is considered, the wire, miniplate, lag screw and Kirschner wire are available with internal fixation. Of these, Kirschner wire is a simple method relatively and correct positioning of the wire achieves rigid fixation. But many open reduction methods for mandibular subcondylar fractures require extraoral approach. The extraoral approach has some problems, the facial scar and the risk of facial nerve injury. On the other hand, the intraoral approach eliminates the potency of the facial scar and the facial nerve injury, but is difficult to access the operation site. Since the intraoral approach was first described by Silverman (1925), the intraoral approach to the mandibular condyle has been developed with modifications. The purpose of this article is to describe the intraoral technique with the Kirschner wire on mandibular subcondylar fractures. Conclusion : The intraoral reduction with Kirschner wire on mandubular subcondylar fractures avoids the facial scar and facial nerve injury and is simple method to the extraoral approach. And it has minimal morbidity and better esthetics.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.105-109
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• 2013

Purpose: Preoperative radiographic assessment of the mandibular third molars is essential to prevent inferior alveolar nerve damage during extraction. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of panoramic signs of association between the roots of teeth and the canal, and to compare the panoramic signs with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) findings. Materials and Methods: CBCT images of 132 impacted mandibular third molars were evaluated to determine the association of the root to the canal. The CBCT findings were compared with the corresponding panoramic images. Logistic regression analysis was used to define the diagnostic criteria of the panoramic images. Results: Among the panoramic signs, loss of the cortical line was the most frequent radiographic sign predicting association (sensitivity: 79.31). Contact of the tooth with the canal was observed in all cases in which the loss of cortical line of the canal or darkening of the roots was found on the panoramic radiographs. Conclusion: Darkening of the roots and loss of the cortical line on panoramic radiographs might be highly suggestive of the risk of nerve injury.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.217-220
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the location of the mandibular canal in Class III malocclusion to its location in normal occlusion for adults. Materials and Methods: For this study 32 skeletal Class III patients and 26 normal patients were observed. Four measurements were taken on cross sectional tomography between the first and second molars: the distance from the mandibular canal to the inner surface of both the buccal and lingual cortices, the distance from the mandibular canal to the inferior border of the mandible, and the buccolingual width of the mandible. The buccolingual location of the canals was classified as lingual, central, or buccal. Each measurement was analyzed with an independent t test to compare Class III malocclusion to normal occlusion. Results: Compared to the control group, the prognathic group had a shorter distance from the canal to the inner surface of the lingual cortex and to the base of the mandible. A higher percentage of the canals were located lingually in the prognathic group. Conclusion: This study showed that the mandibular canal was located more lingually and inferiorly in prognathic patients than in patients with normal occlusion. These results could help surgeons to reduce injuries to the inferior alveolar nerve.

• 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 Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2011

Background: Since introduced by Gow-Gates GA in 1973, Gow-Gates mandibular nerve block (GMNB) has played an important role in the area of dental local anesthesia. However, compared to the conventional inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB), this technique seems to fail to attract the attentions of general practitioners in South Korea. The aim of this study was to prove the clinical real value, mainly the anesthetic efficacy, of GMNB in minor oral surgery. Methods: The study group comprised 40 patients (15 males and 25 females) who were randomly allocated to receive GMNB or IANB for extraction of third molars. Both techniques utilized two 1.8 ml dental cartridges of 2% lidocaine including 1:100,000 epinephrine for each patient. Pulpal and gingival tissue anesthesia of mandibular premolars and molars were recorded at 0, 15 and 40 minutes after administration of local anesthetics using both an electric pulp tester and a sharp dental explorer. Results: The success rates of pulpal and gingival tissue anesthesia in the IANB group were not significantly different from the GMNB group in overall efficacy. Patient's and operator's satisfaction ratings were also not significantly different between two groups. Interestingly, the injection pain of GMNB group was significantly lower than that of IANB group. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the anesthetic efficacy of pulpal and gingival tissue of GMNB was not inferior to that of IANB. The GMNB could be a good alternative of the IANB in most of minor oral surgical procedures.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.167-173
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• 2018

Objectives: Classification of the degree of postoperative nerve damage according to contact with the mandibular canal and buccal cortical bone has been studied, but there is a lack of research on the difference in postoperative courses according to contact with buccal cortical bone. In this study, we divided patients into groups according to contact between the mandibular canal and the buccal cortical bone, and we compared the position of the mandibular canal in the second and first molar areas. Materials and Methods: Class III patients who visited the Dankook University Dental Hospital were included in this study. The following measurements were made at the second and first molar positions: (1) length between the outer margin of the mandibular canal and the buccal cortical margin (a); (2) mandibular thickness at the same level (b); (3) Buccolingual $ratio=(a)/(b){\times}100$; and (4) length between the inferior margin of the mandibular canal and the inferior cortical margin. Results: The distances from the canal to the buccal bone and from the canal to the inferior bone and mandibular thickness were significantly larger in Group II than in Group I. The buccolingual ratio of the canal was larger in Group II in the second molar region. Conclusion: If mandibular canal is in contact with the buccal cortical bone, the canal will run closer to the buccal bone and the inferior border of the mandible in the second and first molar regions.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.225-234
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution and fluorescene intensity of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide(VIP) immunoreactive cells in rat trigeminal ganglion after inferior alveolar nerve axotomy. The animals were divided into normal and two experimental groups. The experimental animals were sacrificed at 14th and 28th day after inferior alveolar nerve axotomy. The trigeminal ganglion was removed and immersed in the 4% paraformaldehyde-0.2% picric acid in 0.1M phosphate buffer. Serial frozon sections about $16{\mu}m$ in thickness were cut with a cryostat. The immunofluorescence staining was performed. The rabbit anti-VIP(1 : 8,000) was used as primary antibody and fluorescene isothiocynate(FITC)-conjugated anti-rabbit IgG(1 : 80) as secondary antibody. The slides were observed under confocal laser scanning microscope. Three-dimensional images were constructed from 9 serial images(each $1{\mu}m$ in thickness) made by automatic optical sectioning. Unprocessed optical sections were obtained and stored on a optical disk. Color picture were printed by a video copy processor. The results were as follows; 1. The appearance of VIP immunoreactive cells in the mandibular part of trigeminal ganglion was 8.79${\pm}$1.99% in normal group and 39.16${\pm}$5.62% in 14 days, 16.25${\pm}$2.39% in 28 days after inferior alveolar nerve axotomy groups. 2. The relative fluorescence intensity of VIP immunoreactive cell bodies in the mandibular part of trigeminal ganglion was 134.40${\pm}$10.39 in normal group and 192.88${\pm}$14.06 in 14 days, 143.10${\pm}$5.02 in 28 days after nerve axotomy groups. Therefore, the relative fluorescence intensity of 14 days after nerve axotomy group was 43.3% higher than intensity of normal group. 3. In optical single section analysis of VIP immunoreactive cell bodies, white cell bodies(moderate fluorescence intensity) were the most abundant in normal and 28 days after nerve axotomy groups. Whereas, in 14 days after nerve axotomy group, red cell bodies(high fluorescence intensity) were the most abundant. 4. In optical serial section analysis of VIP immunoreactive cell bodies, red cell bodies(high fluorescence intensity) were observed in a part of the 9 sections of normal and 24 days after nerve axotomy groups. Whereas, red cell bodies were observed in all of the 9 sections of 14 days after nerve axotomy group. 5. The results indicates that number and fluorescence intensity of VIP immunoreactive cells were increased in the mandibular part of trigeminal ganglion following inferior alveolar nerve axotomy.