Paulo Roberto Müller

Maxillofacial injuries in a group of Brazilian subjects under 18 years of age

Objective: The purpose of this study was to perform a clinical retrospective analysis of the etiology, incidence and treatment of selected oral and maxillofacial injuries in Brazilian children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted during a 14-year period between 1986 and 2000. All patients were admitted to Hospital XV in the city of Curitiba, State of Paraná. Age, gender, monthly distribution, etiology, soft injuries, associated injuries, site of fractures and methods of treatment were reviewed. Results: Of the total of 350 patients of all ages treated for facial injuries, 29.42% were within the age range of the study (0 to 18 years). Mean age was 10.61. Of the patients, 63.1% were male. The most common cause of injury was accidental falls (37.87%), followed by bicycle and motorcycle accidents (21.36%). Of the 103 patients, 88.34% had single injuries. Mandibular fractures were the most common and the condylar region was particularly affected. Conclusion: Facial trauma is a relatively common occurrence in children. The study indicates that fractures in children and adolescents differ quite considerably from an adult population.

Jaw-opening oromandibular dystonia secondary to Wilson's Disease treated with botulinum toxin type A

We have reported a case series of five patients with jaw-opening oromandibular dystonia secondary to Wilsons disease (WD), in which the patients were treated with botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A). In all cases, dystonia score was partially reduced three weeks after injections. The most common side effect was transient mild dysphagia. This preliminary study showed that jaw-opening oromandibular dystonia in WD may be partially responsive to the use of BTX-A.

Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint.

Abstract Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint is a rare acute infectious disease that requires attention from physicians and, once misdiagnosed, can have several implications for a patient. The most common microorganisms related to this disease are Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus. The infection of the joint may be caused by a direct spread of a local infection or by hematogenous inoculation from a distant focus. General predisposing factors, such as immunodepression, can eventually be found. The aim of the current study was to report a case in which a patient with an articular infection resulting from hematogenous dissemination from a distant site was successfully treated using joint drainage and systemic antibiotics. Secretion culture from the temporomandibular joint space was positive for S. aureus. After 1 month of antimicrobial therapy, the patient was asymptomatic and mandibular function was normal. Literature related to this topic was reviewed and discussed.

Epidemiological analysis of orthognathic surgery in a hospital in Curitiba, Brazil: Review of 195 cases

Abstract Objective The present retrospective study explored the spectrum and characteristics of patients treated with orthognathic surgery at the Universidade Federal do Parana, Brazil. Materials and method Over a six-year period from July 2002 to July 2008, the records of 195 patients with dentofacial deformities who underwent orthognathic surgical procedures were followed up. Results Mean patient age was 25.87 years (range 14 to 65 years) and the female to male ratio was 1.5:1. The predominant racial group was “white”. Most patients belonged to the economically productive population. Sixty-two patients had complete dentition. Only 3.59% patients had local anesthesia (rapid palatal expansion). Transverse maxillary deficiency was the most common deformity, followed by maxillary anteroposterior deficiency associated with mandibular anteroposterior excess. Mandibular set-back was the intervention most frequently performed. The surgical procedures took an average of 3 hours 51 minutes and orthodontic treatments took an average of 44.48 months. Complications occurred in 22.57% of patients, the most common of which were permanent paresthesia of the lower lip (7.17%) and inadequate fracture reduction (5.12%). Conclusions The findings included concepts that were useful for characterizing the profile of patients who undergo orthognathic surgery in southern Brazil. The results also may help to correctly develop protocols for patient care designed to improve the overall results of the procedures.

Surgical treatment of maxillary transverse deficiency: retrospective study of 14 patients

IntroductionThe diversity of the proposed techniques in the treatment of maxillary transverse deficiency in adults reflects the conflicting opinions about the primary area of resistance to maxillary expansion in the craniofacial skeleton. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the surgical expansion in which no osteotomies of the pterygomaxillary junction were made, we have carried out a retrospective study with 14 patients with maxillary transverse deficiency, who were treated from 2003 to 2006.Material and methodsIn the study, models were made prior to and after surgery, and the intercanine and intermolar distances and the improvement of the interocclusal relationships were analyzed. Breathing function and the complications that occurred during and after the surgeries were also analyzed.ResultsAll expansions were carried out according to pre-surgical planning so that expansion completely corrected the crossbite, resulting in the desired final occlusion for all patients. Intraoperative complications were limited to one Hyrax appliance deformation. Two patients had minor postoperative complications that included wound dehiscence and pain. Improvements in nasal breathing were observed in all patients that complained of breathing problems prior to the surgery.ConclusionThe satisfactory results obtained turns the surgical protocol described in this study recommended for the treatment of maxillary transverse deficiency in adults. Importantly, we found that pterygomaxillary osteotomy is not essential for maxillary expansion. The morbidity of the procedure was low with fairly minor complications, and surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion was shown to improve nasal breathing.