The Bulletin of Tokyo Dental College Vol. 55(2014) No. 4

Change in occlusion and masticatory function after orthodontic treatment was investigated by a follow-up study in a group of 14 patients with malocclusion (3 men, 11 women, aged 12-46 years). All completed a food questionnaire and underwent occlusal force evaluation using a pressure-sensitive sheet at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and during the retention phase. The number of foods identified as difficult to eat decreased at post-treatment in all patients. The mean occlusal force was 646.6±223.5 N at pretreatment, 401.1±109.1 N at post-treatment, and 530.6±183.6 N during the retention phase. The mean occlusal contact area was 14.1±5.9 mm² at pre-treatment, 6.5±1.7 mm² at post-treatment, and 9.8±3.8 mm² during the retention phase. The mean average occlusal pressure was 47.6±6.6 MPa at pre-treatment, 62.2±5.7 MPa at post-treatment, and 55.4±6.7 MPa during the retention phase. A Dental Prescale film evaluation revealed that occlusal force and occlusal contact area increased over the 1-year retention phase. An improvement in level of satisfaction with mastication ability was reported at post-treatment and during the retention phase. Average occlusal pressure at post-treatment increased significantly (p <0.01), which may account for the observed increase in the ability of the patients to bite through food. These results suggest that an increase in average occlusal pressure improves level of satisfaction with mastication ability.

In this paper, we describe orthodontic treatment in a patient with Down's syndrome accompanied by reverse occlusion due to skeletal deformity with unilateral cleft lip and alveolus. Orthodontic treatment was not initially indicated due to the potential need for surgical intervention and the presence of mental retardation. The further mental and physical growth of the patient together with the help of their guardians, however, allowed placement of a multi-bracket. Although no skeletal correction occurred as a result, reverse occlusion was corrected by labial inclination of the incisors. The patient and her guardians were satisfied with the correction of the overlap by orthodontic treatment alone.

Osseous lesions within soft tissue such as the tongue are extremely rare. Here, we report an osseous choristoma on the posterior portion of the tongue in a patient with a strong vomiting reflex. The patient was an 11-year-old boy who presented with the chief complaint of swelling on the posterior portion of the tongue. A pedunculated tumor 8-mm in diameter with distinct borders was observed slightly to the right of the midline of the dorsum of the tongue and slightly anterior to the circumvallate papillae. The clinical diagnosis was a right lingual circumvallate papilla fibroma. A further examination conducted under general anesthesia in July 2012 confirmed a pedunculated and solid mass in the area of the circumvallate papillae. As these results suggested a benign tumor, the mass was resected. Histopathological findings on harvested bone and fibrous connective tissue covered with a layer of squamous cells led to a diagnosis of osteoma. At 18 months postoperatively, there were no signs of recurrence.

We report a patient with severe chronic periodontitis requiring regenerative periodontal surgery and different types of prosthesis in the maxillary and mandibular regions. The patient was a 57-year-old woman who presented with the chief complaint of occlusal pain. An initial clinical examination revealed that 73% of sites had a probing depth of ≥4 mm, and 60% of sites exhibiting bleeding on probing. Radiographic examination revealed vertical bone defects in the molar region and widening of the periodontal ligament space around teeth #17 and 24. Initial periodontal therapy was implemented based on a clinical diagnosis of severe chronic periodontitis. Surgical periodontal therapy was subsequently performed at selected sites. Periodontal regenerative therapy using enamel matrix derivative was performed on #14, 15, and 35-37. Tunnel preparation was performed on #46 as it had a 2-wall vertical bony defect and Degree 3 furcation involvement. Other sites with residual periodontal pockets were treated by modified Widman flap surgery. After a re-evaluation, functional rehabilitation was implemented with a removable maxillary partial denture and a fixed mandibular bridge. No further deterioration was observed in the periodontal condition of most of the teeth during a 2-year period of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). The patient is currently still undergoing SPT and some minor problems remain. However, the results suggest that treatment and subsequent maintenance for severe periodontitis with traumatic occlusion can be successful as long as the appropriate periodontal and prosthodontic treatment is planned and careful SPT carried out.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there has been an increase in the number of non-extraction cases over recent years and investigate the selection of treatment devices. Patients attending the Department of Orthodontics at Tokyo Dental College Chiba Hospital in whom orthodontic treatment was commenced between July 1989 and July 1990 (Group A) or between June 1998 and May 2003 (Group B) were included in the study. The orthodontic diagnostic records of the patients were examined. Patients requiring orthognathic surgery, those with congenital diseases or cleft palate, and those with an uncertain diagnostic record were excluded. The characteristics, initial age, and classification of malocclusion in the two groups were almost the same. The patients in both groups were further divided into two subgroups: one in which treatment was commenced in mixed dentition and another in which it was begun in permanent dentition. The final therapeutic strategy, that is to say, non-extraction or extraction, was investigated in all groups. The final observation date in the mixed dentition group in Group B was September 2011. No major differences were observed in pattern or type of malocclusion between the two groups. Group B, however, showed an increased rate of non-extraction treatment. A policy of non-extraction was pursued in a higher proportion of patients in whom treatment was commenced in mixed dentition than in those in which it was begun in permanent dentition.

Many patients presenting at oral malodor clinics have psychological halitosis, which is characterized as being obsessive about having oral malodor or being distressed from a keen awareness of oral odor. We used the Tokyo University Egogram (TEG) to evaluate personality traits in patients presenting at the oral malodor clinic of this institute. The incidence of each TEG personality type was compared between a total of 600 patients presenting at the clinic and a cohort of healthy individuals. Differences were found between the malodor patient and healthy groups. Nurturing Parent (NP)-dominant, Adult (A)-dominant, inverse N (NP low, Free Child high), showed a significant decrease of 6.7, 11.3, and 3.6%, respectively; whereas N (A low) and N (NP high, Free Child low) showed a significant increase of 3.3 and 6.4%, respectively (p < 0.01).

The hypothalamic nonapeptide and neurohypophyseal hormone arg-vasopressin (AVP), also known as antidiuretic hormone, is best known for its effects on water reabsorption in kidney. Osteoblasts play a major role in bone formation, employing intracellular Ca²⁺ as a second messenger to modulate hormonal responses and as a cofactor for mineralization. Voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels (VDCCs) mediate the influx of Ca²⁺ in response to membrane depolarization. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of AVP on VDCC currents in osteoblasts using a patch-clamp recording method. An application of 1μM AVP facilitated VDCC currents in osteoblasts. To our knowledge, the data presented here demonstrate for the first time that AVP facilitates VDCCs in osteoblasts.

In this article, one author's name and the institution was given incorrectly. The correct information should be as follow:
Mai Ohkubo ¹⁾ , Takuo Higaki ²⁾ , Keiichi Nishikawa ³⁾ , Mika Otonari-Yamamoto ³⁾ , Tetsuya Sugiyama ¹⁾ , Ryo Ishida ¹⁾ , Mamoru Wakoh ³⁾ and Tsukasa Sano ⁴⁾