Search

OBJECTIVES: Microvascular changes because of smoking are frequently presumed in models because of the negative effect of smoking portrayed on the microcirculation. We hypothesized that cigarette smoke might lead to a decrease in gingival capillary density. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Capillary density was assessed with orthogonal polarization spectral (OPS) imaging, a technique using special optics by which a virtual light source is created at a depth of 1 mm within the mucosa. The light is absorbed by haemoglobin, resulting in an image of the capillaries in negative contrast. The gingival capillary density was measured in 20 healthy male dental students with a mean age of 25. Ten of the students were smokers and 10 were non-smokers. In each subject six images of the right maxillary pre-molar region were obtained, and the mean gingival capillary density was determined through the use of K&K software technology. RESULTS: The mean capillary density in smokers was 69.3 +/- 8.9 capillaries per visual field compared with a mean capillary density in non-smokers of 60.6 +/- 5.4 (p=0.33). CONCLUSION: No significant differences were found between the gingival capillary density of smokers and non-smokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological features of central giant-cell lesions that were diagnosed in The Netherlands between January 1, 1990, and January 1, 1995. STUDY DESIGN: A population-based retrospective study was carried out, examining all patients with a central giant-cell lesion from this period. RESULTS: In 83 patients there was a central giant-cell granuloma (89 lesions). Aggressive signs and symptoms (pain, paresthesia, or root resorption) were found in 16 (19.3%) patients. Multiple lesions occurred in 3 (3.6%) patients. The overall recurrence rate was 26.3%, and there was a higher recurrence rate in patients who exhibited aggressive signs and symptoms than in patients without these features (RR 1.6). In 5 patients a clinical diagnosis of cherubism or concomitant neurofibromatosis type 1 was made (14 lesions). CONCLUSION: In a general population, large and aggressive lesions are less common than suggested by the literature. Multiple lesions, however, occur more frequently than previously assumed. In patients with aggressive signs and symptoms, surgical curettage is not an effective therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare microcirculatory parameters in normal versus alveolar cleft gingiva in children selected for secondary bone grafting procedures., Study Design: This study included 11 consecutive patients with complete unilateral alveolar clefts who required secondary bone grafting procedures. In a split-mouth design, noninvasive real-time simultaneous measurements among tissue oxygen saturation (StO2), hemoglobin level (rHb), and blood flow parameters were obtained from normal and alveolar cleft gingiva using spectrophotometry and laser Doppler flowmetry. Subsequent noninvasive capillary density measurements and tissue microangioarchitecture were assessed using sidestream dark-field imaging., Results: There were no significant differences in StO2 and rHb between normal and alveolar cleft gingiva. Blood flow, blood flow velocity, and capillary density were significantly decreased in alveolar cleft gingiva (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Alveolar cleft reconstructions alter gingival microperfusion properties, and microvascular changes adapt to conserve peak oxygen saturation., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Oral mucositis (OM) is a common toxic side effect among patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy (CT) with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for hematologic malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in submucosal microcirculation in myeloma patients receiving high-dose CT with ASCT by assessing capillary density and microvascular structural integrity., Methods: Ten consecutive patients with multiple myeloma who underwent first-time CT treatment with high-dose melphalan (200 mg/m(2)) and ASCT were included in this study. Baseline buccal mucosa capillary density, expressed as the mean number of capillaries +/- SD per mm(2) (cpll/mm(2)), was measured with sidestream dark-field imaging after treatment was performed, after 30 and 60 minutes, and then on days 2, 4, 6, 8, and 14. A linear mixed model was used to examine capillary density over time and a P value of <.05 was considered to be statistically significant., Results: Baseline mucosal capillary density was 19 +/- 2.4 cpll/mm(2). Mucosal capillary density after melphalan infusion after 30 and 60 minutes and on days 2 and 4 showed no statistically significant differences. A decrease in capillary density with statistical significance was observed on days 6 (10 +/- 3.0 cpll/mm(2); P < .01) and 8 (12 +/- 4.9 cpll/mm(2); P < .01). On day 14, capillary density returned to near baseline value., Conclusions: High-dose CT alters microvascular structural integrity and dysregulates tissue perfusion in the oral mucosa by decreasing the number of perfused submucosal capillaries in the oral mucosa. The findings of this investigation suggest that acute CT toxicity alters oral microcirculation and may be an important mechanism responsible for driving early mucosal barrier disturbances associated with CT-induced OM., (Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Central giant cell granuloma is a benign lesion of the jaws which is sometimes aggressive locally. The most common treatment is curettage,which has a high recurrence rate, particularly in more aggressive lesions. Other treatments such as interferon (IFN) and calcitonin have been described. We report a patient with Stickler syndrome and an aggressive central giant cell granuloma in the mandible. Initial treatment with calcitonin was not successful. A combination of IFN and imatinib, given for 9 months, initiated regression of the lesion that continued after treatment had ceased.

We describe a patient in whom the combination of excessive air in the maxillary sinus and the presence of a patent nasopalatine duct led to misdiagnosis and subsequent treatment of a non-existent oroantral perforation. When a radiograph indicates that antral involvement during removal of a maxillary molar is unlikely, and yet a routine postoperative nose-blowing test contradicts this, the possible presence of a pre-existent oronasal communication such as a patent nasopalatine duct should be considered.

Central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) is a benign lesion of the jaws with an unknown etiology. Clinically and radiologically, a differentiation between aggressive and non-aggressive lesions can be made. The incidence in the general population is very low and patients are generally younger than 30 years. Histologically identical lesions occur in patients with known genetic defects such as cherubism, Noonan syndrome, or neurofibromatosis type 1. Surgical curettage or, in aggressive lesions, resection, is the most common therapy. However, when using surgical curettage, undesirable damage to the jaw or teeth and tooth germs is often unavoidable and recurrences are frequent. Therefore, alternative therapies such as injection of corticosteroids in the lesion or subcutaneous administration of calcitonin or interferon alpha are described in several case reports with variable success. Unfortunately, randomized clinical trials are very rare or nonexistent. In the future, new and theoretically promising therapy options, such as imatinib and OPG/AMG 162, will be available for these patients.

A mutation of the SH3BP2 gene is known to cause cherubism. As there are clinical and histopathological similarities between central giant cell granuloma and cherubism, we made a constitutional DNA analysis of the SH3BP2 gene in four patients with aggressive giant cell granuloma (having one or more of the following features pain, paraesthesia, rapid growth, or root resorption). We found no mutations in the SH3BP2 gene, which indicates that cherubism is a separate entity. However, a somatic mutation in a specific group of cells could cause the focal lesions in giant cell granuloma. Further DNA analysis of the tissue of giant cell granulomas therefore seems indicated.

The successful therapeutic use of calcitonin in patients with a central giant cell granuloma has been shown in several case reports. In a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 14 patients with a histologically confirmed central giant cell granuloma and normal calcium and parathyroid hormone serum levels were studied over 2 years. Patients were treated with intranasally administered salmon calcitonin (200 IU/day) or a placebo once a day. The placebo-controlled period was 3 months, after which all patients were treated with calcitonin for 1 year. Treatment response was assessed at the end of the placebo-controlled study phase (3 months), at the end of therapy (15 months' timepoint with patients being on calcitonin treatment for either 12 or 15 months) and at 6 months' follow-up. The chi(2)-test was used to compare the proportion of patients with a tumour reduction >/=10% of the pretreatment measurement between the 2 populations at the 3 timepoints: no differences were observed between the placebo group and the calcitonin group. At the 6-month follow-up timepoint, tumour volume had decreased by >/=10% in a total of 7 patients with a 37.9% (95% CI 31.3-44.5%) mean volume reduction in this subgroup. Complete remission was not observed.

Central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) is a benign lesion of the jaws with a sometimes locally aggressive behaviour. The most common therapy is surgical curettage which has a high recurrence rate, especially in lesions with aggressive signs and symptoms (i.e. pain, paresthesia, root-resorption and rapid growth). Alternative therapies such as interferon alpha (INFalpha) or calcitonin are described in the literature. In this study 2 patients with an aggressive CGCG are presented who were treated with INF mono-therapy. INF mono-therapy was capable of terminating the rapid growth of the lesion in both patients and induced a partial reduction. Total resolution, however, was not obtained and alternative treatment is still necessary.

Objective: In this study we evaluated the inter-observer agreement in the assessment of gingival capillary density using Orthogonal Polarization Spectral Imaging., Methods: In this study gingival capillary density of 100 healthy subjects was determined by 2 independent observers. Agreement was quantified by calculation of the mean differences between the observers and the standard deviation of this difference and the limits of agreement. Reliability was quantified by means of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)., Results: Fifty males and 50 females were included in the study. The mean age for males was 20+/-1.2 years and for females 20+/-1.4. OPS images showed remarkable good quality images of the gingival microcirculation. The interclass correlation between the 2 observers was 0.63 while the interclass correlation for the 6 measurements in observer 1 was 0.95 and 0.94 for observer 2. The mean capillary density for females in observer 1 was 83.69+/-16.4 and 83+/-16.0 in observer 2, versus 60.55+/-12.3 for observer 1 and 60.4+/-12.1 for males. The mean quantitative functional capillary density in male students was 60.48+/-10.7, compared to 83.45+/-13.5 in female students., Conclusions: OPS imaging enabled for the first time direct in vivo visualization and quantification of human functional gingival capillary density in healthy medical students. The inter-observer agreement was found to be good to fair on the quantification of gingival capillary density between the two independent observers. The intracorrelation coefficient (0.95) was excellent when assessing the reliability of one observer.

Aim: To determine the value of clindamycin prophylaxis in the prevention of postoperative wound infections in patients undergoing endodontic surgery., Methodology: This study included 256 patients undergoing endodontic surgery in a prospective double-blind placebo-controlled trial comparing oral administration of an oral placebo versus a preoperative 600 mg dose of clindamycin. After randomization the study medication was administered orally 1 h before surgery in a double-blind fashion. For a period of 4 weeks the postoperative course was observed according to clinical parameters of infection. Primary end-point was infection at the surgical site., Results: The mean age of the study population was 44.4 years (SD 11.4, range 18-82 years) with a sex distribution of 147 females (47.4%) and 109 males (42.6%). Mean age of the patients in the clindamycin group was 44.7 years (SD 12.0), and the mean age in the placebo group was 44.1 years (SD 10.8) (P = 0.49). In the clindamycin group, the mean duration of surgery was 32.3 min (SD 8.8) and in the placebo group the mean duration of surgery was 32.5 min (SD 8.4) (P = 0.89). Two infections [1.6%; 95 confidence interval (CI): 0.48-4.72] were identified in the clindamycin group and four (3.2%; 95 CI: 0.42-1.33) in the placebo group (P = 0.448)., Conclusions: No statistically significant difference was found between clindamycin prophylaxis and placebo with regard to the prevention of postoperative infection in endodontic surgical procedures.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of a single oral dose of clindamycin with a 24-h protocol of clindamycin administration in local buccal onlay grafting procedures., Material and Methods: A prospective randomized study in 124 patients was performed. Eligible patients were randomized to receive antibiotic prophylaxis either as a single dose (group I) or over a 24-h period (group II). In both groups prophylaxis started with an oral dose of 600 mg clindamycin 1 h before surgery, followed by either placebo or 300 mg clindamycin every 6 h. The primary endpoint of this study was wound infection at the receptor site within 8 weeks after surgery. Secondary outcome measurements included postoperative infections at the donor site and adverse events as a result of antibiotic administration., Results: The mean age of the patients was 35.9+/-10.1 years (range 18-59 years). Infections at the receptor site were seen in two patients (3.2%, 95% CI 0-7.6%) of the single-dose group and in three patients (4.8%, 95% CI 0-10.1%) of the 24-h group. Infection at the donor site occurred in four patients (6.4%, 95% CI 0-12.5%) of the single-dose group and in two patients (3.2%, 95% CI 0-7.6%) of the 24-h group. Postoperative infections were predominantly caused by alpha-hemolytic streptococci sensitive to penicillin., Conclusions: No statistically significant difference was found between the prophylactic single dose of clindamycin and the 24-h regimen of clindamycin with regard to postoperative infection in patients undergoing local bone augmentation procedures.

Objective: Randomized clinical prospective study to evaluate the application of MTA and IRM as retrograde sealers in surgical endodontics., Study Design: One hundred single-rooted teeth were surgically treated. After randomization, MTA or IRM was used as a retrosealer. Radiographs were taken 1 week, 3 months, and 1 year postoperatively. Assessment was performed by 2 independent assessors 1 year after surgery. Both treatment groups were homogeneous in their composition, and clinical features and radiographic findings were classified according to Rud's classification., Results: Complete healing was observed in 64% of the MTA-treated teeth vs 50% of the IRM-treated teeth. Incomplete healing was seen in 28% (MTA) vs 36% (IRM), and unsatisfactory in 6% (MTA) vs 14% (IRM). Only 1 failure was seen (MTA). No statistically significant differences were found between the 2 retrofilling materials., Conclusion: As root-end filling materials in this clinical prospective randomized design on single rooted teeth, MTA and IRM had the same clinical effectiveness.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological features of central giant-cell lesions that were diagnosed in The Netherlands between January 1, 1990, and January 1, 1995., Study Design: A population-based retrospective study was carried out, examining all patients with a central giant-cell lesion from this period., Results: In 83 patients there was a central giant-cell granuloma (89 lesions). Aggressive signs and symptoms (pain, paresthesia, or root resorption) were found in 16 (19.3%) patients. Multiple lesions occurred in 3 (3.6%) patients. The overall recurrence rate was 26.3%, and there was a higher recurrence rate in patients who exhibited aggressive signs and symptoms than in patients without these features (RR 1.6). In 5 patients a clinical diagnosis of cherubism or concomitant neurofibromatosis type 1 was made (14 lesions)., Conclusion: In a general population, large and aggressive lesions are less common than suggested by the literature. Multiple lesions, however, occur more frequently than previously assumed. In patients with aggressive signs and symptoms, surgical curettage is not an effective therapy.

Background: The central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) of the jaw is a rare benign tumor with an unknown etiology. Epidemiologic data on CGCGs in a general population are not available, nor are data on the overall outcome of surgical therapy. In this article, an overview of these aspects in the Dutch population from January 1, 1990, until January 1, 1995, is presented., Methods: All CGCGs that were diagnosed and surgically treated in The Netherlands from 1990 until 1995 were evaluated., Results: The incidence is 0.00011%, and the disease-free survival after surgical therapy after 5 years is 76.1%. There is a significantly higher recurrence rate in young males, which cannot be explained by clinical signs and symptoms of the lesion., Conclusion: The CGCG is a rare affliction with a high recurrence rate after surgical therapy, especially in young males., (Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Three patients, 2 men aged 21 and 39 years, respectively, and 1 woman aged 29 years, presented with a unilateral swelling of the neck, with no accompanying symptoms. In the youngest man the diagnosis of a 'plunging ranula' was made after repeated fine needle aspiration yielded viscous yellowish mucus with a high amylase content. In the oldest man the diagnosis was made during the operation and in the woman the diagnosis was finally made after two surgical explorations in the neck. In all 3, no recurrence occurred after removal of the involved salivary glands. A cervical ranula is an extension of a pseudocyst of the glandula sublingualis. Important clues for the diagnosis of a 'plunging ranula' are: the simultaneous presence of a ranula in the floor of the mouth (or a history of one), a characteristic cystic mass in the submandibular space with an extension into the sublingual space on CT and/or MRI, and the aspiration of amylase-containing mucus. Excision of the sublingual gland as the source of salivary leakage is the therapy of choice in a case of 'plunging ranula', with drainage of mucus from the ranula into the oral cavity. As the 'plunging ranula' represents a pseudocyst without an epithelial lining, excision is not indicated.

Objective: A pilot study was conducted to assess the efficacy of a single-dose preoperative prophylactic of the penicillin pheneticillin compared with placebo in the antibiotic prophylaxis of surgical wound infections in intra-oral bone grafting procedures., Patients and Methods: Twenty patients (age range 20-45 years) underwent an intra-oral buccal onlay graft procedure. After randomization, a placebo or 2 grams of pheneticillin were administered orally one hour before surgery in a double-blind fashion. During three months, the postoperative course was observed according to clinical parameters of infection. Both groups were homogeneous in their composition and established risk factors for surgical wound infection. The frequency of surgical wound infections, as defined by the Centers of Disease control in 1992, were compared and evaluated statistically., Results: Two patients developed a wound infection at the receptor site; two patients developed an infection at both the receptor and donor sites; and one patient developed an infection at the donor site only. All of these patients received a placebo. No infections were seen in the pheneticillin group. There was a statistically significant increased risk of having an infectious complication after an intra-oral bone graft without antibiotic prophylaxis., Conclusion: The results of this study support the efficacy of single-dose, preoperative, oral antibiotic administration.

In 1954, Papillon-Leage and Psaume were the first to describe the clinical characteristics of oral-facial-digital syndrome (OFDS). On the basis of their clinical features and the inheritance pattern, 2 variants were initially distinguished, namely OFDS type I (Papillon-Leage and Psaume) and OFDS type II, or Mohr syndrome. At present, 11 types of OFDS have been discovered. OFDS represents a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by oral manifestations including oral frenula, cleft or lobulated tongue, high arched palate, cleft lip and/or palate, facial anomalies, and digital abnormalities such as syndactyly, polydactyly, brachydactyly, and clinodactyly. Depending on the type of OFDS, abnormalities may be present in other organs, such as the brain and heart. We report a patient with OFDS in whom multiple recurrent and de novo keratocysts were found. Although multiple keratocysts are commonly found in Gorlin-Goltz nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, a relationship between OFDS and multiple keratocysts has not been described.

Involvement of the paranasal sinuses and nose by sarcoidosis is uncommon, and has been reported in only 1-4% of patients with sarcoidosis. Clinical symptoms are nasal obstruction, epistaxis, nasal pain, discharge, anosmia or hyposmia, epiphora, and dyspnoea. We present a case of sarcoidosis in which sinusitis was the first clinical sign of the disease., (Copyright 2000 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.)

Giant cell granuloma of the jaw is a benign lesion that may cause local destruction of bone and displacement of teeth. The common therapy is curettage or resection, which may be associated with loss of teeth and, in younger patients, loss of dental germs. An alternative treatment has recently been introduced, in which patients receive a daily dose of calcitonin. Four patients who have been treated with calcitonin in various concentrations for at least 1 year are reported. In all patients, complete remission of the giant cell granuloma was observed, without signs of recurrence. The working mechanism of calcitonin is discussed, as are length of treatment and optimal dose.

Atypical mycobacterial infections are frequently associated with chronic cervical lymphadenopathy, particularly in children between 1 and 5 years of age. The treatment of choice is regarded to be "optimal" surgical treatment, which often requires wide excision of affected lymph nodes. Although surgical excision is a reliable treatment, it has obvious drawbacks. Because branches of the peripheral facial nerve may be intimately involved in the inflammatory reaction, damage is a potential complication. In addition, keloid scars and wound breakdown are possible complications. Successful drug treatment is hampered by poor susceptibility of the Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum strains to antimicrobial drugs. Reports of results with clarithromycin in the treatment of patients with AIDS who are infected with the M avium complex, however, are promising. The cases of 2 children with infections caused by the M avium complex, resulting in preauricular and cervical lymphadenitis, are described. Treatment with clarithromycin as a monotherapy led to complete healing without recurrence.

Chronic suppurative osteomyelitis of the mandible is often considered difficult to treat and may lead to refractory osteomyelitis. Sixteen patients with chronic suppurative osteomyelitis of the mandible were treated with a relatively simple protocol, consisting of sequestrectomy or decortication and i.v. antimicrobial therapy for one week, followed by oral penicillin for three weeks. Only one case showed recurrence of symptoms, which was treated successfully in a second session. It is concluded that combined surgical and antimicrobial therapy should be sufficient to cure most cases of chronic suppurative osteomyelitis of the mandible.

Facial nerve palsy following a sagittal split osteotomy is a rare but serious complication. The incidence of facial nerve injury in a group of 1747 patients who had undergone a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (3494 sagittal splits) was determined and proved to be 0.26% (9 cases). The case histories of 2 patients are presented, and the etiology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this complication are discussed.

An analysis of 69 edentulous patients with severe atrophy of the mandible and submitted to ridge augmentation, together with 57 normal edentulous patients, revealed in about half of the patients with a severe atrophy radiological evidence of metabolic bone loss. In the group of normal edentulous patients, this was only found in post-menopausal women.

In recent years salivary gland scintigraphy has gained widespread acceptance as a useful means for evaluating salivary gland disorders. An absolute indication for this procedure exists when the ductal orifice of one or several major salivary glands cannot be found or cannot be cannulated. Clinical conditions in which this problem occurs include technical failure to probe and cannulate the duct, developmental anomalies, obstructive disorders, traumatic lesions and fistulae and the need of postsurgical information after glandular excision or after ligation or repositioning of a major excretory duct. The clinical value of scintigraphy in these conditions is demonstrated by means of case presentations.

Conflicting views exist regarding the origin and location of the oral radioactivity seen in salivary gland scintigraphy with 99mTc-pertechnetate. The normal accumulation of oral activity was studied in a series of healthy subjects by sequential scintigraphy (anterior and lateral views) after intravenous injection of 2 mCi of 99mTc-pertechnetate. Ligation of the parotid ducts and/or cannulation of the submandibular ducts, which prevented their secretions from reaching the oral cavity, established that the oral activity was due entirely to radioactive saliva secreted by the parotid and submandibular glands. Pertechnetate mouthwash studies confirmed that radioactive saliva is absorbed to oral mucosa and that adsorption to the lingual mucosa in the major contributor to the oral activity. Pertechnetate uptake in sublingual and minor salivary glands of the oral cavity was not visualized, thereby invalidating scintigraphy in the study of these glands. In the diagnosis of salivary gland disorders, oral activity is a useful indicator of major salivary gland function.

During sequential salivary gland scintigraphy with 99mTc-pertechnetate, circumscript "cold" areas with less than background activity are sometimes seen in the region of the oral cavity. This phenomenon is due to the presence of extensive dental restorations and should not be misinterpreted in terms of deficient 99mTc-pertechnetate uptake in the minor salivary glands of the oral cavity.

A review of the literature on treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of the jaws shows that hyperbaric oxygen is often recommended as an adjunct in treatment of this disease. Definite criteria to indicate this treatment and to evaluate the results have not been reported. The results of hyperbaric oxygen treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of the jaws in 16 patients are presented. In contrast to the good results reported in the literature, only 7 of our patients could be considered as cured. The reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. Our results, as well as the data from the literature, indicate that a combined antibiotic and surgical approach is the treatment of choice in chronic suppurative osteomyelitis. However, in chronic diffuse sclerosing osteomyelitis and in patients in whom decortication and antibiotic therapy have failed, hyperbaric oxygen treatment in combination with antibiotics and surgery seems to be indicated.

Conflicting views exist with regard to surgical treatment of a salivary stone in the knee of the submandibular duct, the options being excision of the submandibular gland and transoral removal of the stone. The key question in this dispute is whether or not a gland with a stone in this position has suffered irreparable functional damage. To determine the extent of glandular recovery after transoral sialolithectomy, a clinical and scintigraphic study has been carried out in a consecutive series of twenty-one patients. The results show a return to normal function in the vast majority of these patients, which indicates that transoral removal of the stone is the treatment of choice.

A review of the literature pertaining to plunging ranula is presented with special emphasis on the historical development of the various aetiological theories and treatment recommendations. Also 4 cases of plunging ranula are presented; three were treated by extirpation of the sublingual gland and one was treated by exteriorization of the ranula into the oral cavity. The treatment methods used here are discussed in relationship to the accepted aetiological theory.

92 patients, 31 with and 61 without signs of metabolic bone loss, were treated with a combined sandwich-visor osteotomy. A 5-year follow-up showed a significantly higher rate of resorption in patients with radiographic signs of metabolic bone loss. The analysis was based upon lateral cephalometry.

22 edentulous women, 11 with and 11 without signs of metabolic bone loss were treated by a combined sandwich-visor osteotomy. Longitudinal studies showed a higher rate of resorption in women with radiographic signs of metabolic bone loss. The analysis was based upon lateral cephalometry.

A review of the current status of salivary gland imaging is presented. The potentials and limitations of sialography, scintigraphy, ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging are discussed so that a rational approach to their use can be adopted.