Moacyr Tadeu Vicente Rodrigues

Clinical concepts of dry socket.

Dry socket is one of the most studied complications in dentistry, and a great number of studies have searched for an effective and safe method for its prevention and treatment. One of the great clinical challenges since the first case was reported has been the inconsistency and differences in the various definitions of dry socket and the criteria used for diagnosis. The pathophysiology, etiology, prevention, and treatment of dry socket are very important in the practice of oral surgery. The aim of the present report was to review and discuss each aspect.

Experimental alveolitis in rats: microbiological, acute phase response and histometric characterization of delayed alveolar healing

The pathogenesis of alveolitis is not well known and therefore experimental situations that mimic some features of this disease should be developed. Objective In this study, the evolution of the experimentally induced infection in rat sockets is characterized, which leads to clinical signs of suppurative alveolitis with remarkable wound healing disturbs. Material and methods Non-infected (Group I) and experimentally infected sockets in Rattus novergicus (Group II) were histometrically evaluated regarding the kinetics of alveolar healing. In addition, the characterization of the present bacteria in inoculation material and the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) were performed. The detected species were Capnocytophaga ochracea, Fusobacterium nucleatum ss nucleatum, Prevotella melaninogenica, Streptococcus anginosus, Treponema socranskii and Streptococcus sanguis. Results All experimentally infected rats developed suppurative alveolitis, showing higher levels of CRP in comparison to those non-infected ones. Furthermore, infected rats presented a significant delayed wound healing as measured by the histometric analysis (higher persistent polymorphonuclear infiltrate and lower density of newly formed bone). Conclusion These findings indicate that rat sockets with experimentally induced infection produced higher levels of serum CRP, showing the potential of disseminated infection and a disturb in the alveolar repair process in an interesting experimental model for alveolitis studies.

Unilateral patent nasopalatine duct: a case report and review of the literature

A 15-year-old white female sought our institution complaining of a chirping noise during speech and swallowing. The noise was spontaneous, perceptible, and enhanced when hard suction on the anterior palate was performed. The patient reported no trauma, infection, or other clinical feature related to the noise. Clinical examination showed 2 small grooves on both sides of the midline, lateral to the incisive papilla. The left groove was visually deeper. Careful probing with a gutta-percha cone revealed the existence of a communication on this side extending from the mouth to the nasal cavity, which was confirmed clinically and radiographically. Probing was not possible on the right side. The diagnosis was unilateral patent nasopalatine duct, which was surgically treated. We report here a new case of patent nasopalatine duct and also present a review of the pertinent literature.

Unicystic Ameloblastoma with Mural Proliferation Managed by Conservative Treatment

Unicystic ameloblastoma is a distinguishable entity of ameloblastomas, characterized by slow growth and being relatively locally aggressive. Three histological types are recognized according to the degree of ameloblastomatous epithelial extension, namely, luminal, intraluminal, and mural types. This classification has a direct bearing on their biological behavior, treatment, and prognosis. However, there is difficulty in determining the most appropriate form of treatment for unicystic ameloblastoma. We present a case of unicystic ameloblastoma that occurred in the right posterior mandible of 19-year-old girl, which was enucleated and did not recur after 12-month follow-up.

Burkitt Lymphoma in Adult With Atypical Clinical Presentation Primarily Involving the Oral Soft Tissue

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the second most common neoplasm of the head and neck after squamous cell carcinoma. However, it accounts for only 3.5% of all malignancies of the oral cavity. Oral lesions are often a component of disseminated disease process that may involve regional lymph nodes or may at times represent the primary extra nodal form of the disease. Although, isolated oral lymphoma in adults is extremely rare, this paper presents a patient with Burkitt lymphoma in an adult male with atypical clinical presentation primarily involving the oral soft tissue. It is believed that the prognosis of Burkitt lymphoma depends on the extent of the disease, the patients age, and the timing of diagnosis. Therefore, the role of the dentist in the early diagnosis and prompt referral of patients with Burkitt lymphoma cannot be overemphasized.