Cross-modal representation of chewing food in posterior parietal and visual cortex.

Even though the oral cavity is not visible, food chewing can be performed without damaging the tongue, oral mucosa, or other intraoral parts, with cross-modal perception of chewing possibly critical for appropriate recognition of its performance. This study was conducted to clarify the relationship of chewing food cross-modal perception with cortex activities based on examinations of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and visual cortex during chewing in comparison with sham chewing without food, imaginary chewing, and rest using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Additionally, the effects of a deafferent tongue dorsum on PPC/visual cortex activities during chewing performance were examined.

Practical guide for safe sedation.

This practical guide has been developed to ensure safe and effective sedation performed in adult patients outside of the operating room, for instance in intensive care units and dental treatment rooms and in the field of palliative care. Sedation levels are classified based on level of consciousness, airway reflex, spontaneous ventilation, and cardiovascular function. Deep sedation induces loss of consciousness and protective reflexes, and can cause respiratory depression and pulmonary aspiration.

Activation of Prefrontal Cortex in Process of Oral and Finger Shape Discrimination: fNIRS Study.

Background: The differences in the brain activities of the insular and the visual association cortices have been reported between oral and manual stereognosis. However, these results were not conclusive because of the inherent differences in the task performance-related motor sequence conditions. We hypothesized that the involvement of the prefrontal cortex may be different between finger and oral shape discrimination.

Effects of denture wearing on coordinated features of jaw and neck muscle activities during chewing in partially edentulous elderly patients.

Purpose: This study was performed to examine how denture wearing improves jaw and neck muscle coordination during chewing in partially edentulous elderly patients.

Methods: Sixteen patients classified as Eichner's index B2 or B3 and 16 young dentate subjects were enrolled. Jaw and neck muscle activities during chewing were recorded using electromyography with and without denture wearing, then analyzed using intermuscular Electromyography (EMG)-EMG transfer and EMG-EMG coherence function analyses to clarify quantitative, temporal, and functional coordination of jaw and neck muscle activities while chewing.

Prefrontal Consolidation and Compensation as a Function of Wearing Denture in Partially Edentulous Elderly Patients.

Background: The cognitive effects of wearing a denture are not well understood. This study was conducted to clarify the effects of denture use on prefrontal and chewing muscle activities, occlusal state, and subjective chewing ability in partially edentulous elderly individuals.

Methods: A total of 16 partially edentulous patients were enrolled.

Quantitative and qualitative assessment of sensory changes induced by local anesthetics block of two different trigeminal nerve branches.

Objectives: The aims were to use different techniques to assess the degree of sensory changes and magnitude of perceived size changes in the facial region induced by nerve blocks of two different trigeminal nerve branches in healthy participants.

Materials And Methods: This placebo-controlled study included 30 healthy volunteers. The participants underwent quantitative and qualitative sensory testing (QST and QualST) thrice: before, 10 min, and 2 h after mental (n = 15) and infraorbital (n = 15) nerve blocks and during control (saline) sessions.

A Case of Laryngeal Granuloma Likely Caused by Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease Following a Sagittal Split Ramus Osteotomy.

Laryngeal granuloma is an uncommon complication of prolonged endotracheal intubation. A 25-year-old woman with severe jaw deformity underwent sagittal split ramus osteotomy under general anesthesia. Two days after extubation, the patient complained of hoarseness, sore throat, and dyspnea.

Micromolar sodium fluoride mediates anti-osteoclastogenesis in Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced alveolar bone loss.

Osteoclasts are bone-specific multinucleated cells generated by the differentiation of monocyte/macrophage lineage precursors. Regulation of osteoclast differentiation is considered an effective therapeutic approach to the treatment of bone-lytic diseases. Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease characterized by extensive bone resorption.

Effect of acupuncture on perception threshold: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To determine the current perception thresholds (CPTs) for arm and mental foramen areas to enable a quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment.

Methods: Ninety-eight volunteers enrolled as participants and were randomly assigned to one of three groups: an acupuncture group (34 subjects); a sham acupuncture group (32 subjects) and a waiting group (32 subjects). CPTs for the arm and mental foramen areas were determined before and after acupuncture at LI4 Hegu of the left hand.

Anesthetic management of a child with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS, Ondine's curse) for dental treatment.

Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS, also known as Ondine's Curse) is a rare syndrome characterized by apnea, cyanosis, and hypotonia. A 4-year-old, 90-cm, 12-kg girl with CCHS, mental retardation (MR), and Hischsprung's disease (HD) was treated under general anesthesia. Intravenous drugs were not used, but sevoflurane, a volatile anesthetic, was used.