David S. Carlson

Stability two years after mandibular advancement with and without suprahyoid myotomy: An experimental study☆

Ten adult rhesus monkeys underwent mandibular advancement surgery of 4-6 mm with and without suprahyoid myotomy. Serial lateral cephalograms using radiopaque bone markers were obtained during maxillomandibular fixation and for 96 weeks after release of fixation to determine the effects of suprahyoid myotomy on short-term and long-term adaptations in the advanced mandible. The non-myotomy group exhibited a significant reduction in the length of the advanced mandible (relapse) during the fixation period but showed no significant change in mandibular length after release of fixation. The myotomy group exhibited no relapse during the fixation period and after release of fixation displayed a slight but statistically significant increase in mandibular length. This supports the hypothesis that stretching of the suprahyoid musculature as a result of mandibular advancement surgery is a major factor leading to skeletal relapse.

In Vivo Analysis of Bone Strain about the Sagittal Suture in Macaca mulatta during Masticatory Movements

In vivo strain gauge analysis demonstrated that tensile bone strain is transmitted along the cranial vault to the parasagittal region during isotonic temporalis contraction. This strain is sufficient to cause measurable separation of the sagittal suture, and thus could influence growth at the sutural margins.

The effects of pain from the mandibular joint and muscles on masticatory motor behaviour in man

Habitual chewing of a coherent bolus was studied in 12 dentate subjects with painful mandibular-joint disorders and 12 healthy, dentate controls. Bilateral electromyograms of jaw elevators, and jaw movement, were recorded for three complete masticatory sequences. Computer analysis was used to classify chewing movements as continuous or discontinuous. Root-mean-square (r.m.s.), myoelectric signal amplitudes were computed for each of four jaw elevators. Although discontinuous chewing cycles were significantly more frequent in painful function (p = 0.001), they also occurred in pain-free function, a finding which reduces their diagnostic significance. During painless and painful function, r.m.s. activities did not differ statistically when elevators acted as agonists on both the dominant and non-dominant chewing side (p greater than 0.1). When used as antagonists, such as during jaw opening, the elevators had greater mean peak activities during painful than painless function (p = 0.0001). Variability in maximum gape was greater during painful than painless function (p = 0.001), but peak maximum gapes in complete masticatory sequences were not affected by pain, and neither were minimum interocclusal gapes. More frequent reshaping and repositioning of the bolus in the presence of pain could explain these differences between painful and pain-free function.

Histologic analysis of costochondral and sternoclavicular grafts in the TMJ of the juvenile monkey

Variability in growth response of the mandible after replacement of the mandibular condyle with the costochondral junction of a rib (CCJ) is common. Other donor graft sites that are more similar to the mandibular condyle might be more suitable for mandibular condylar replacement. Previous studies have shown the histomorphologic and developmental similarities between the sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) and temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The purpose of this study was to evaluate histologically short-term adaptations within the TMJ after replacement of the mandibular condyle with the autogenous sternal head of the clavicle, and to compare these adaptations with autogenous CCJ and mandibular condyle (surgical control) transplants. Bilateral vertical ramus osteotomies were performed in 12 juvenile Macaca mulatta with the left condyle being immediately replaced and the right condyle removed and replaced with either the sternal head of the clavicle or costochondral junction of a rib. All grafts were stabilized with maxillomandibular fixation for five weeks. Two animals in each group were killed at five, 11, and 17 weeks postsurgery and prepared for histologic analysis. The results indicate that: 1) incorporation of all grafts into the recipient site occurred and all animals had good mandibular function and occlusion throughout the follow-up period; 2) the clavicular and mandibular condylar grafts were incorporated sooner than the CCJ grafts; 3) clavicular graft changes resembled those of the condylar grafts histologically while the costal grafts remained inert and unchanged; and 4) a new condylar process with cartilage similar to that of a normal mandibular condyle regenerated in the costal graft animals from cells presumably contributed by the periosteum of the mandibular ramus and TMJ capsule.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Histologic comparison of the costochondral, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints during growth in Macaca mulatta

The costochondral joint (CCJ) is commonly used to replace defective mandibular condyles in children for the restoration of normal temporomandibular (TMJ) growth and function. However, continued and harmonious growth following rib grafting is the exception rather than the rule. This may be due to the differences in the growth characteristics of the costal cartilage and the condyle. A joint that is similar both developmentally and structurally to the TMJ is the sternoclavicular joint (SCJ). The purpose f this study was to describe histologically the SCJ and CCJ during growth in Macaca mulatta and to compare the histomorphologic features with those of the TMJ. Costochondral and sternoclavicular joints were obtained from infant, juvenile, adolescent, and adult Macaca mulatta. The histologic sections were compared with mandibular condyles of the same ages available in our laboratory. The results indicate that the TMJ and SCJ are very similar morphologically throughout the growth period. The clavicular head contained layers of cartilage typical of the mandibular condyle, i.e., articular, prechondroblastic, chondroblastic, hypertrophic, and endochondral ossification layers, at each age during growth. Like those in the condyle, the hypertrophic cartilage cells were arranged in an apparently random, noncolumnar fashion. The CCJ, however, did not resemble the condyle but appeared to be more similar to the growth plate in a long bone epiphysis during growth. The results of this investigation indicate that the SCJ may be more suitable for mandibular condylar replacement than the CCJ.

Stability of the mandible following advancement: A comparison of three postsurgical fixation techniques

This study examines short-term stability of the mandible following mandibular advancement surgery by means of three standard techniques of postsurgical fixation. Twenty-two adult female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) underwent sagittal ramus advancement osteotomy of approximately 4 to 6 mm. Six animals had dental maxillomandibular fixation alone. Six animals had dental plus skeletal maxillomandibular fixation with circummandibular wires connected to pyriform aperture wires. Ten animals had rigid internal fixation with bicortical bone screws between the proximal and distal segments without maxillomandibular fixation. Radiographic cephalograms with the aid of tantalum bone markers and dental amalgams were analyzed during the first 6 postoperative weeks to evaluate skeletal and dental stability. Rigid internal fixation and the use of dental plus skeletal maxillomandibular fixation were both equally effective in the prevention of postsurgical relapse. However, in the animals in which only dental maxillomandibular fixation was used, statistically significant changes (relapse) occurred when compared with either of the other groups.

Advancement genioplasty with and without soft tissue pedicle: An experimental investigation

To determine whether maintaining a soft tissue pedicle to the genial segment decreases the amount of bone resorption following an advancement genioplasty, 12 rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) underwent advancement genioplasty of 5-6 mm. The insertion of the digastric musculature and lingual soft tissues on the genial segment was maintained in six of the animals, and six had all soft tissues stripped. Cephalometric analysis of remodeling in the anterior part of the mandible indicated that the pedicled genial segments underwent significantly less resorption than the free graft segments (P less than 0.05). The results of this study indicate that soft tissue pedicles to the genial segments should be maintained during advancement genioplasty to minimize the amount of bone resorption in the post-operative period.

Regulation of cell proliferation in rat mandibular condylar cartilage in explant culture by insulin-like growth factor-1 and fibroblast growth factor-2

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) regulate the proliferation and differentiation of growth-plate chondrocytes, but surprisingly little is known of the mechanisms underlying growth regulation in secondary cartilages such as the mandibular condylar. The aims here were to investigate whether IGF-1 and FGF-2 receptors are present in mandibular condylar cartilage in vivo from 28-day-old male Sprague-Dawley rats (by immunohistochemistry), how proliferation in that cartilage responds to increasing concentrations of exogenous IGF-1 or FGF-2 in explant culture (by [3H]thymidine incorporation), and whether the expression of these growth factors and their receptors in the cartilage changes during the transition to puberty (quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction). Immunoreactivity for receptors (R) for IGF-1 and FGF-2 (IGF-1R, FGFR1, and FGFR3) was most pronounced in chondroblasts and hypertrophic chondrocytes, while FGFR2 immunoreactivity was strongest in the articular and prechondroblastic zones. The proliferative response elicited by exogenous IGF-1 was considerably greater than that induced by FGF-2, although the threshold concentration for a significant response was lower for FGF-2. In the transition from prepuberty (31 days) to the beginning of late puberty (42 days), a pronounced trend of increasing IGF-1 and decreasing FGF-2 gene expression was evident. Of the receptors, only FGFR2 and FGFR3 expression increased. These data provide evidence that proliferation in the mandibular condylar cartilage might be regulated in part by IGF-1 and FGF-2, and that expression of these genes changes considerably at puberty. The data also suggest that mechanisms governing proliferation in mandibular condylar cartilage might have as much in common with those regulating cranial sutures as those regulating growth-plate.

A method of bite force measurement in primates

A bite force transducer consisting of two differential strain beams with four strain gages in a full bridge configuration was modified for measuring occlusal forces in rhesus monkeys. A procedure of muscle stimulation (20-50 V, 60 Hz, and 0.8 ms duration) produced maximal unilateral masticatory muscle contraction when stimulating electrodes were placed in the masseter muscle. Tests of this procedure revealed reproducible results and a potential for use in studies of the force of isometric contraction of the masticatory muscles in normal and experimentally altered macaques and other primates.

Adaptation of the suprahyoid muscle complex to mandibular advancement surgery

The suprahyoid musculature has been implicated as one of the major factors responsible for relapse after mandibular advancement surgery. Previous studies have also indicated that the muscle and connective tissues comprising the suprahyoid complex must adapt to increased length brought about by mandibular advancement for skeletal stability to be achieved. The purpose of this study was to provide quantitative data concerning the immediate changes and long-term adaptations that take place within the suprahyoid complex over a 2-year period after mandibular advancement. Mandibular advancement was performed on ten adult Macaca mulatta monkeys with and without suprahyoid myotomy (n = 5/group). Six animals were used as controls. Mandibular length and changes in the length of the various anatomic regions of the suprahyoid complex were evaluated radiographically with the aid of radiopaque bone, muscle, and tendon markers implanted preoperatively. The results for the nonmyotomy group showed that the suprahyoid complex was elongated approximately two thirds the amount of mandibular lengthening, the major immediate adaptations within the suprahyoid complex after the surgical procedure occurred at the muscle-bone interface and the muscle-tendon interface, the change in length at the muscle-tendon junction was maintained throughout the 2-year follow-up period, indicating that significant long-term adaptations took place primarily at that location, and no significant short-term changes or long-term adaptations were seen within the anterior digastric muscle or the intermediate digastric tendon. Within the myotomy group, it was found that the suprahyoid complex recoiled immediately after myotomy such that the anterior belly of the digastric muscle became separated from the advanced distal mandibular segment by more than twice the amount of mandibular lengthening, the anterior digastric muscle remained essentially at this posterior position throughout the 2-year follow-up period, and though not significant, there was a trend for a decrease in the length of the anterior digastric muscle belly. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that both short-term changes and long-term adaptations to lengthening of the suprahyoid complex as a result of mandibular lengthening occur primarily within the connective tissues comprising the muscle-tendon and muscle-bone interfaces, not within the muscle fibers themselves.