The purpose of this study was to confirm the length and kind of donor nerves used in nerve grafts for reconstruction of inferior alveolar nerve defects. The authors conducted a retrospective study of surgeries that were performed between 1977 and 1996. A total of 20 patients underwent nerve grafting procedures during this period. The greater auricular nerve was selected as the donor nerve in 16 cases, while the sural nerve was selected in 4. Mean lengths of donor nerves were 7.28±1.6cm and 11.5±3.4cm for the greater auricular and sural nerves, respectively. As indicated, the sural nerves were significantly longer (p<0.01). Mean lengths of donor nerves grafted for partial resection and hemi-mandibulectomy were 7.23±1.6cm and 10.8±3.4 cm, respectively. Statistical analysis indicated that grafts used in the hemi-mandibulectomy group were significantly longer (p<0.05). In terms of types of donor nerve used in mandibulectomies, the greater auricular nerve was used in the majority of partial resections, and the sural nerve was employed for hemi-mandibulectomy.

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It is clinically important to evaluate the level of skeletal maturation in juveniles to determine the appropriate timing for orthodontic treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the age of bone maturity by using an ultrasonic bone analyzer (Cuba Clinical, McCue Ultrasonics Ltd., Winchester, U.K.). Broadband ultrasonic attenuation (BUA:dB/MHz) was measured at the left calcaneus as an effective indicator of the age of bone maturity. The subjects consisted of 249 males and 304 females aged 12 to 29 years who had not suffered constitutional bone disease or a disease of the endocrine system. The peak value of BUA considered as bone maturity was 104.44 at the age of 19 years in males and 77.80 at the age of 16 years in females, and the peak age range was indicated as 18-19 years in males and 13-16 years in females by statistical evaluation. The peak age range indicated by BUA was wider in females than that in males. The present results can be used as reference ages for maturity in growth prediction for orthodontic treatment of Japanese children and adolescents. The heights and weights of the subjects were also collected as basic data. A significant positive correlation was observed between BUA values and weight (r=0.34 p<0.01 in females, r=0.52 p<0.01 in males). BUA is known to describe the quality of bone because the calcaneus is a loading bone. The relation between bone quality and growth has not been discussed. Further research is required to investigate this relationship.

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Growth and development of maxillofacial morphology and oral function are closely interrelated. Oral function is comprised of articulation, swallowing, and chewing. Malocclusion may be caused by abnormal functions such as mouth breathing, tongue thrust swallowing, and unilateral chewing and by abnormal postures of oral circumferential muscles such as forward tongue thrust, tongue biting, and low tongue at rest. Forces from unintentional and habitual behaviors constantly acting on the maxillofacial and alveolar regions can cause the bony structures to generally deform, resulting in jaw deformity and malocclusion. Oral function also plays a vital role in maintaining body posture. In this study, clinical observations of oral postures examined maxillary protrusion and open bite, anterior crossbite and facial asymmetry. The unstable forces induced by abnormal posture were correlated with the varieties of malocclusion. Morphology, function, and posture were shown to be closely interrelated and to influence each other.

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We report a rare case of intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) arising from the upper lip. Pathologically, it consisted of a few lobulated masses lined by an incomplete fibrous capsule of variable thickness which was separated from the surrounding tissue and which partially formed papillary structures bearing fibrous stalks and a single layer of endothelium. The capillary formation was poorly defined, and mitotic figures were frequently observed. Immunohistochemically, the endothelial cells were positive for factor VIII related antigen and vimentin, and many cells were positive for PCNA, not only in the solid proliferating area but also in the papillary proliferating area. This case represents IPEH with high proliferative activity.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate a case of calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC) in which numerous calcifications were observed not only in the lining epithelium, but also in the cyst wall, using cytokeratins 13 (CK13), 19 (CK19), and core binding factor a-1 (cbfa-1) as primary antibodies. Cells of Malassez's epithelial rest were stained as controls. Cells of the epithelial nests in the cyst wall were reactive for CK13, but their CK19 staining was similar to that observed in the lining epithelial cells. Calcifying nodules were reactive only for CK13. Cells of Malassez's epithelial rest were reactive for CK19 but not for CK13. Cbfa-1 positive reactivity was observed only in nuclei of spindle cells in the periodontal ligament. CK13 was positive superficial to the prickle cells. CK19 was positive in the basal cells of the oral mucosa. In the lining epithelium of the cyst, the expressions of CK13 and CK19 were similar to their immunoreactions in the oral mucosa. These results suggest that the odontogenic epithelium differentiated into squamous epithelial cells, which began as ghost cells in the COC, and that this process depended on the dystrophic calcification of differentiated odontogenic epithelial cells, not of osteogenic cells.

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