Expression of β-defensin 4 on temporomandibular joint discs with anterior displacement without reduction.

Objectives: β-defensin-4 is a member of antimicrobial peptides (APs) of the immunity system. This molecule has antimicrobial activity but it seems to be involved in articular inflammatory processes too, as it happens during osteoarthritic disease (OA). Considering the possible relation existing between (OA) and temporomandibular disorders (TMD), the aim of our study was to evaluate immunohistochemically the presence of β- defensin-4 in pathological temporomandibular joint (TMJ) discs affected by internal derangement without reduction (ADDwoR).

Accuracy of landmark identification on postero-anterior cephalograms.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine accuracy in landmark identification on digital postero-anterior cephalograms, (PAC) assessing the intra-observer and the inter-observer repeatability in determining these landmarks.

Materials And Methods: Twenty postero-anterior digital cephalometric radiographs were randomly selected from data files of patients aged between 11 to 15 years and were used in this study. Thirty-four commonly used PAC landmarks were included in this investigation and each observer performed the determination of all landmarks on every PAC cephalograms twice (T1 and T2).

Condyle fossa relationship associated with functional posterior crossbite, before and after rapid maxillary expansion.

Objective: To investigate condylar symmetry and condyle fossa relationships in subjects with functional posterior crossbite comparing findings before and after rapid maxillary expansion (RME) treatment through low-dose computed tomography (CT).

Materials And Methods: Twenty-six patients (14 girls and 12 boys, mean age 9.6 ± 1.

Lubricin in human temporomandibular joint disc: an immunohistochemical study.

Aims: To evaluate, immunohistochemically, the presence and distribution of lubricin in human temporomandibular joint (TMJ) discs without any degenerative changes, obtained from autopsies, in order to elucidate the TMJ lubrication system and disc tribology.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry for lubricin detection was carried out on 34 TMJ discs. Any disc had signs of degenerative or inflammatory joint disease nor disc were displaced.

Three-dimensional computerized tomographic orbital volume and aperture width evaluation: a study in patients treated with rapid maxillary expansion.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on orbital volume and aperture width measurements by using freeware software with DICOM data from low-dose-protocol multidetector computerized tomography (MDCT).

Study Design: The subjects consisted of 30 patients (12 male, 18 females) treated with a Hyrax Palatal Expander, activated 3 times per day (0.25 mm per turn of the screw) for an average of 18 days.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand expression correlates to temporomandibular joint disk degeneration.

This study investigated if tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) immunohistochemical expression in human temporomandibular joint (TMJ)-degenerated disks correlates to the degree of tissue damage to elucidate the possible involvement of this apoptotic pathway in TMJ disk degeneration. Twenty-one TMJ displaced disk from 12 patients were affected by anterior disk displacement with reduction and 9 by anterior disk displacement without reduction processed immunohistochemically with TRAIL antibody. Histopathologic grading of the disk degeneration was carried out in each specimen.

Early post-treatment changes of circumaxillary sutures in young patients treated with rapid maxillary expansion.

Objective: To test the null hypothesis that circumaxillary sutures do not show bony displacement in response to rapid maxillary expansion (RME) therapy.

Materials And Methods: Subjects consisted of eight growing patients (two male and six female) with Angle Class I malocclusion, bilateral posterior crossbite, transverse maxillary deficiency, deep palatal vault, and dental crowding at the start of the treatment. A Hyrax palatal expander was used for each patient, and activation protocol required the screw to be turned three times per day (0.