Cone-beam computed tomography for the diagnosis of mandibular condylar fractures: 11 case reports

The temporomandibular joint has many complex anatomical and functional features compared with other joints. Therefore, caution should be exercised in the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint fractures. Although panoramic tomography is widely used for the screening of orofacial trauma as well as other diseases, this modality often overlooks evidence of a condylar fracture. Cone-beam computed tomography is also used for diagnosing orofacial diseases. The purposes of this report are to show the usefulness of cone-beam computed tomography in diagnosing condylar fractures and to describe the imaging features of condylar fractures.     

Significant improvement in temporary dental rehabilitation by notable miniplate application in the hard palate for a patient with a large anterior maxillary defect: a case report/technique article

The present report describes the application of a miniplate in the hard palate of a 36-year-old patient with a large anterior maxillary defect. The combination of orthodontic elastics with a titanium miniplate improved the stability of the prefabricated prosthesis. This structure retained the ointment gauze covering the wounds and maintained the facial contour. In addition, contracture deformity was prevented by insertion of the prefabricated prosthesis intraoperatively or immediately postoperatively. Furthermore, a soft diet could be ingested immediately postoperatively. The miniplate also supported the anterior part and the definitive prosthesis. This prosthesis restored adequate masticatory, deglutitive, and speech functions and maintained the facial contour with minimum overloading of the remaining teeth.     

Appearance of neural stem cells around the damaged area following traumatic brain injury in aged rats

We have previously reported free radical production after traumatic brain injury (TBI), which induces neural stem cell (NSC) degeneration and death. However, the effects of aging on NSC proliferation around the damaged area following TBI have not been investigated. Therefore, in this study, we used 10-week (young group) and 24-month-old (aged group) rat TBI models to investigate the effects of aging on NSC proliferation around damaged tissue using immunohistochemical and ex vivo techniques. Young and aged rats received TBI. At 1, 3 and 7 days after TBI, immunohistochemical and lipid peroxidation studies were performed. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the number of nestin-positive cells around the damaged area after TBI in the aged group decreased significantly when compared with those in the young group (P < 0.01). However, the number of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine-, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal- and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-positive cells and the level of peroxidation around the damaged area after TBI significantly increased in the aged group, compared with those in the young group (P < 0.01). Furthermore, almost all ssDNA-positive cells in young and aged groups co-localized with NeuN and nestin staining. Ex vivo studies revealed that neurospheres, which differentiated into neurons and glia in culture, could only be isolated from injured brain tissue in young and aged groups at 3 days after TBI. These results indicate that, although there were fewer NSCs that have the potential to differentiate into neurons and glia, these NSCs escaped free radical-induced degeneration around the damaged area after TBI in the aged rat brain.