Sunita Srivastava

Squamous odontogenic tumor of the maxilla: a case report and review of the literature

Squamous odontogenic tumors are rare neoplasms of the jaw that are benign and locally infiltrative. The tumor originates in the gingival rests of Malassez, remnants of dental lamina or gingival surface epithelium. This type of tumor was first described by Pullon et al. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 40:616–630, 1975). The clinical presentation is mostly asymptomatic, though pain and tooth mobility may also occur. Radiographically, the tumor presents as a triangular radiolucent lesion found mostly in the maxilla and present between the roots of the teeth. Histologically, it may appear similar to acanthomatous and desmoplastic ameloblastoma; hence, it can present problems in differential diagnosis. Here, we describe a case of squamous odontogenic tumor of the anterior maxilla in a middle-aged Indian man.

Massive pregnancy gingival enlargement: A rare case

Gingival enlargement related to pregnancy is sometimes seen in the oral cavity. Pregnancy is a physiological state that brings full of changes in a womans life. The metabolism and immunology of the body are modified by progesterone and estrogen as well as other local factors, these sex hormones may modify the oral mucosa and may lead to various periodontal diseases. A case of female patient 23 yrs of age reported during 8th month of pregnancy with a localised gingival enlargement affecting the buccal aspect of left maxillary central incisor upto canine. The hormonal changes occurring during pregnancy may be associated with generalized or localised gingival enlargement and the presence of local factors may accentuate the gingival response. Rarely the enlargement becomes maasive and protrude out extraorally.

Diode laser: In treatment of recurrent verrucous leukoplakia

Laser first came into light in 1960 and had been used extensively in various fields of medicine. Laser has been experimented in the various dental field, and its utility is being recognized and established well in the dentistry. Lasers are widely used for a number of procedures such as cavity preparation, scaling, and root planning, surgical procedures like excision of soft tissue growths, etc., Improved healing, hemostasis, and sutureless excisions are some of the many advantages of laser over conventional treatment modalities. It is because of these advantages that laser is becoming more and more popular as a treatment option in various aspects of dentistry. We hereby present a case report, where we have used diode laser for surgical management of a proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL), because of its many advantages over conventional methods. It presents very specific characteristics, mainly a more aggressive biological behavior than other forms of leukoplakia expressed by: A tendency toward multifocality (field cancerization); a high prospect of recurrence; and a high rate of malignant transformation, which can range between 40% and 100% in a follow-up period of 4.4–11.6 years. In this case, we evaluated the advantages of diode laser for the treatment of verrucous leukoplakia, where the results that we obtained were excellent. The patient had come for evaluation till the time of complete healing.

Evaluation of efficacy of turmeric in management of oral submucous fibrosis

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of turmeric in oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) patients. Objectives: To check the treatment efficacy of turmeric in terms of burning sensation on Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and mouth opening, and to evaluate the group which showed the maximum improvement. Materials and Methods: 30 subjects diagnosed with OSMF were included in this study. The patients were administered commercially available turmeric; their mouth opening and burning sensation on VAS scale were evaluated at regular intervals, and the data was then compared. Results: The improvement in mouth opening was not significant; however, the change in burning sensation on VAS was significant. Conclusion: Treatment of OSMF with turmeric is an affordable and effective treatment methodology; however, further research needs to be done.