Oral diagnostics have traditionally relied on visual and tactile inspection, radiographic imaging, and patients’ subjective complaints. This review outlines the historical transition of oral diagnostics, compares current approaches with those in medical fields, and summarizes neurofunctional analysis techniques such as EEG/ERP, fMRI, fNIRS, and MEG. Clinical applications, including pain assessment, occlusal and masticatory functions, taste disorders, and psychological evaluation, are discussed. Future challenges include technical limitations, individual variability, ethical considerations, and integration with artificial intelligence. The integration of neurofunctional analysis into oral diagnostics is expected to transform the field from subjective to objective, interdisciplinary approaches, establishing a new paradigm that links oral health with systemic and cognitive functions.

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On the occlusal surface where a CAD/CAM inlay is placed, a cement line, referred to as a “butt joint,” exists at its margin. The long-term stability of this cement line is one of the critical factors influencing the prognosis of the restoration.
The present study aimed to investigate a coating material that would satisfy the following four requirements: 1） No color change after application, 2） Film thickness that does not affect occlusion, 3） Adhesion to tooth structure, resin cement, and CAD/CAM restorative material, and 4） Sufficient wear resistance. To evaluate these conditions, the following tests were conducted: 1） Color stability test, 2） Film thickness measurement, 3-1） Shear bond strength test, 3-2） Tensile bond strength test, 4-1） Wear resistance test, and 4-2） Three-body wear test.
The results showed that, in comparison to specimens without coating, application of the dental coating material significantly reduced the degradation of the cement line, suggesting that surface coating would be effective for protecting the cement line in CAD/CAM inlays.

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The mechanism of tooth type differentiation, such as which features are used and how they are discriminated, has not yet been clarified. Therefore, we investigated the differences in eye gaze changes and gazing points among students at different stages of study. The subjects were second-year dental students, defined as novice students, and fifth-year dental students, defined as students with clinical practice experience. Eye-tracking during tooth type differentiation was examined and compared. The results showed that there were differences in eye-tracking tendency at the time of tooth type differentiation, suggesting that there were differences in the thought process during differentiation.

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We previously reported that there are differences in the thought processes of subjects at different levels of learning in the differentiation of single tooth types. However, in the actual oral cavity, a single tooth is rarely present; instead, there are multiple teeth as a series of dentition. Therefore, it has not yet been clarified how the differentiation of tooth types in the oral cavity is done. In this study, we investigated the differences in eye-tracking between novice students who have only acquired knowledge of dental anatomy and students with clinical practice experience who have acquired knowledge of dental anatomy and are applying their knowledge in clinical practice. Eye-tracking during tooth type differentiation was examined and compared. As a result, differences were found in the gazing tendency during tooth type differentiation, suggesting that there are differences in the thought process during differentiation.

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Childhood Sjögren’s Disease （CSD） often presents with a variety of extraglandular symptoms, including fever, fatigue, arthralgia, and lymph node swelling, making diagnosis difficult without proactive suspicion. We report a case in which CSD was diagnosed based ranula and parotid gland swelling. The patient was a 16-year-old girl. For the past year, she had experienced intermittent parotid gland swelling only during meals. Six months prior, she had also developed oral floor swelling and visited our department. Blood tests showed positive results for anti-SS-A/Ro antibodies and anti-SS-B/La antibodies, and elevated IgG levels. Although she did not report experiencing dry mouth, a Saxon test showed decreased secretion, and a lip biopsy revealed lymphocyte infiltration, leading to a diagnosis of CSD. The parotid gland swelling disappeared with pilocarpine hydrochloride administration, and there has been no recurrence. No other collagen diseases were found, and the patient is currently under observation in internal medicine. Since CSD is a chronic disease, it may not be detectable at the time of testing, and repeated testing is necessary for suspected cases.

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Bisphosphonates （BPs）, including minodronate hydrate, are commonly prescribed for the treatment of osteoporosis. Although BP-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw is a serious adverse effect in the maxillofacial region, reports of its widespread occurrence are rare. Here, we report a case of widespread oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal mucositis in a patient with osteoporosis, which was thought to be caused by minodronate hydrate.
A 76-year-old woman with a history of multiple surgical interventions and reconstructions for oral cancer presented with morphological changes on the right side of the tongue, floor of the mouth, and right mandibular alveolar ridge, predisposing her to drug retention. She sought treatment for osteoporosis at her local orthopedic clinic, where she underwent a bone mineral density assessment. Because the young adult mean value of the femoral neck was 70％, oral minodronate hydrate was prescribed. The day after initiating oral minodronate hydrate, the patient returned to the clinic, reporting spontaneous pain in the oral mucosa immediately after taking the medication. Consequently, she was referred to our department for further evaluation of the oral mucosal lesions.
Upon initial examination in our department, the patient presented with oral mucositis with redness, erosion, and contact pain affecting the bilateral maxillary and mandibular gingiva, tongue, corner of the mouth, floor of the mouth, and surrounding buccal mucosa. Additionally, she reported a sore throat and was referred to the otorhinolaryngology department at a nearby general hospital for a comprehensive evaluation of the laryngopharyngeal lesion. Endoscopic examination revealed widespread mucositis extending from the right side of the tongue and buccal mucosa to the larynx. Based on the patient’s medical history, a diagnosis of extensive mucositis affecting the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, likely induced by minodronate hydrate, was established, and the drug was discontinued. In addition, treatment with hangeshashinto gargle was initiated, and her symptoms showed a tendency to improve. Four weeks after discontinuation of minodronate hydrate, the mucositis in all oral regions was improved, except for the erosion of the right side of the tongue. Six weeks after discontinuation, a comprehensive examination by the otolaryngology department at the general hospital revealed complete resolution of laryngopharyngeal symptoms. Minodronate hydrate administration was subsequently terminated, and no recurrence of symptoms has been observed to date.

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口底に発生する類皮嚢胞は比較的まれな疾患であり，類皮嚢胞全体の約7％が，頭頸部領域に発生するとされている。その好発部位は外側眉部であり，口底はこれに次ぐ発生頻度を示している。口底類皮嚢胞は，顎舌骨筋との解剖学的位置関係に基づき，舌下型，オトガイ下型，顎下型の3 型に分けられ，組織学的には類皮嚢胞，類表皮嚢胞，および奇形腫に分類されている。近年，核磁気共鳴画像（MRI）において，特徴的な所見である“sack of marbles” signの報告例が認められている。これは辺縁のみの増強効果に加えて，その内部構造の特異な所見は，類皮嚢胞の診断への決め手になるとされている。今回我々は，術前MRI検査において“sack of marbles” sign を示した23 歳の女性に発症した口底の類皮嚢胞の1 例を報告する。本症例は全身麻酔下に口腔内アプローチによる摘出術を施行し，病理組織学的検査により最終診断は類皮嚢胞となった。術後5年経過するが，現在まで再発は認められていない。本症例は，口底に発生する類皮嚢胞において，MRIが診断および他疾患との鑑別に極めて有用であり，特に“sack of marbles” sign は本疾患を示唆する重要な画像所見であると考えられた。

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Extensive maxillary defects following malignant tumor resection often result in severe impairment of mastication, as well as deterioration of quality of life, particularly in edentulous patients. To address these challenges, surgical reconstruction using a vascularized fibula free flap combined with implant-supported prosthetic rehabilitation has been increasingly applied.
We report a case of maxillary gingival carcinoma treated with partial maxillectomy followed by maxillary reconstruction using a free fibula flap. After adequate healing, dental implants were placed in the transplanted fibular bone, and a maxillary implant overdenture supported by a wide-area implant-supported device was fabricated. Despite anatomical challenges, including excessive flap bulk, insufficient vestibular depth, and limited bone volume of the grafted bone, stable prosthetic retention and functional rehabilitation were achieved. Post-treatment functional assessments demonstrated marked improvements in masticatory performance and oral health-related quality of life. This case suggests that implant-supported overdenture rehabilitation following maxillary reconstruction with a fibula free flap may be a viable treatment option for restoring oral function in patients with extensive maxillary defects.

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The incidence of cephalic tetanus, characterized by cranial nerve paralysis and symptoms localized to the head, is low at 1-3％, and it is uncommon for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and mechanical ventilation to be performed during the early stages of tetanic convulsive seizures. Our patient, a 79-year-old woman, was unaware of any injury while gathering edible wild plants 9 days prior to her examination. She presented to our department after experiencing progressive trismus, dysarthria, and dysphagia, with observed facial nerve paralysis. Following consultations with the general medicine and infectious diseases departments, she received a diagnosis of cephalic tetanus and underwent treatment in the intensive care unit （ICU）. On day 3 of hospitalization, during the early stages of convulsive seizures, she had difficulty expectorating sputum and went into cardiac arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and mechanical ventilation were initiated, and she recovered smoothly. She was discharged on day 27 of hospitalization. Thus, if a patient exhibits facial nerve paralysis along with symptoms such as trismus, dysarthria, and dysphagia, it is important to respond rapidly, considering the possibility of cephalic tetanus. Since cardiorespiratory arrest can occur even before generalized seizures begin, these cases may require ICU management from the early stages.

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