Publications by authors named "Masaaki Sasaguri"

Masticatory muscle tendon-aponeurosis hyperplasia (MMTAH) is a disease that presents as a hard trismus due to hyperplasia of the masseter and temporalis aponeurosis. Standard surgical methods for MMTAH include masseter resection, temporalis aponeurosis, and coronoidectomy. The operation of resecting the tendon aponeurosis attached to the posterior surface of the coronoid process carries the risk of bleeding and nerve damage because it cannot be observed directly.

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  • The study aimed to analyze the imaging characteristics of the gubernaculum tract (GT) in patients with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) using computed tomography (CT).
  • It found a high detection rate of GTs for both unerupted permanent teeth (83.5%) and supernumerary teeth (83.1%), with no significant differences between the two.
  • The results suggest that a specific structure involving GTs and dental follicles may indicate that multiple teeth could originate from a single dental lamina, potentially leading to eruption failures.
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  • * A study involving 152 OSCC patients, all with confirmed lymph node metastasis, demonstrated a significant correlation between LNR and both overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS).
  • * The results indicated that patients with a high LNR (≥ 0.095) had a worse prognosis compared to those with a low LNR (< 0.095), identifying LNR as a potential independent prognostic factor in OSCC.
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  • The study focuses on the challenges dentists face in accurately diagnosing cemento-osseous dysplasia (COD), especially when it's related to embedded teeth, as there aren't many reports detailing its imaging characteristics in these cases.
  • Researchers analyzed radiographs and histological findings of 225 patients with COD, uncovering 15 cases in 13 asymptomatic patients that highlighted specific imaging features around embedded mandibular third molars.
  • The findings emphasize the need for dentists to recognize the distinct imaging traits of COD compared to other dental cysts or tumors to improve diagnosis and treatment approaches.
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  • * A significant difference was found in the distribution of ducts between the two groups, with patients having ranula showing fewer instances of undetected ducts.
  • * Additionally, patients with ranula lacked a specific type of duct (Rivinius duct only), highlighting differences in drainage patterns compared to healthy subjects.
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Background: Very recently, a significant relationship between tonsilloliths and dental plaque-related pathologies was reported using digital panoramic radiographs. Their dynamics over time suggest that tonsilloliths may be in a permanently active phase that functions to remove foreign matter. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the occurrence of tonsilloliths and the extent of periodontitis.

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Introduction: Microvascular free flap transfer is considered a standard reconstruction after the ablation of oral cancer. Although the success rate is high, flap complications occasionally occur. This study investigated the reasons for and local factors involved in complications of free flap transfer and explored how to salvage the flaps.

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The purpose of this study was to elucidate the imaging characteristics of the gubernaculum tracts in successional teeth related to fused deciduous teeth on computed tomography. The imaging findings of 15 gubernaculum tracts in successional teeth related to fused deciduous teeth were retrospectively analyzed using cone-beam computed tomography or multidetector computed tomography. In cases without a congenitally defected successor, the two gubernaculum tracts of two successional teeth related to fused deciduous teeth were fused into one.

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Despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, the 5-year survival of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), no matter the location, remains low, averaging 50%. Telomerase is expressed in 85% of malignancies and may play an important role in human carcinogenesis. Its catalytic component is human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), which has been thought, but not proven, to be involved in survival with OSCC.

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Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a potentially severe adverse side effect of antiresorptive agents. However, withdrawal of such agents in patients with osteoporosis may increase the risk of fracture. The treatment of MRONJ is challenging, and standard treatment guidelines have yet to be established.

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Interaction of cyclic naphthalene diimide derivatives (cNDIs), 1-4, with TA-core and c-myc as G-quartet (G4) DNA was studied under dilute or molecular crowding condition. Binding study for TA-core based on an isothermal titration calorimetry showed that 1-4 has 10 M order of binding affinity with the following order: 1 > 4 > 2 > 3 under both conditions. Meting temperature (T) of TA-core obtained from the temperature dependence of circular dichroism spectra shows that TA-core was most stabilized by 4, which is in agreement with the result of PCR stop assay and the stabilization effect for 1-3 was correlated with their binding affinity under dilute condition.

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The eruption pathway from the dental follicle to the gingiva for permanent teeth is known as the gubernaculum tract (GT), a physiologic structure thought to play a role in tooth eruption. Cone beam computed tomography and multi-detector computed tomography have recently been used to visualize the GT, with the results indicating that this structure might be related to the normal eruption of teeth. By contrast, curved and/or constricted GTs may lead to abnormal tooth eruption.

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Objectives: The shapes of gubernaculum tracts (GTs) in molars as accessional teeth remain unidentified. To elucidate imaging peculiarities of GTs in molars with aging on multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT).

Material And Methods: This retrospective study was conducted using CT images, including maxillary and mandibular molars, with no abnormal findings from 239 patients.

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Objective: Cleft palate is among the most frequent congenital defects in humans. While gene-environment multifactorial threshold models have been proposed to explain this cleft palate formation, only a few experimental models have verified this theory. This study aimed to clarify whether gene-environment interaction can cause cleft palate through a combination of specific genetic and environmental factors.

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Background: Tonsilloliths are related clinically to halitosis and tonsillar abscess. However, the dynamics of tonsilloliths over time are unknown. The aim of the study was to evaluate change in the characteristics of tonsilloliths in a time-dependent fashion by follow-up computed tomography (CT).

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  • The study aimed to evaluate the visibility and functionality of sublingual gland ducts using MR sialography and dynamic MR sialography in various groups of subjects, including adults, elderly individuals, and patients with gland disease.
  • Results showed that sublingual gland ducts could be accurately visualized in a significant number of subjects, with no major differences in duct areas across the groups studied.
  • This research highlights the diagnostic potential of MR sialography, especially in identifying lesions like ranulas that are associated with sublingual gland ducts.
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A simple sandwich technique using buttons to compress grafted tissue combined with a tie-over technique for intraoral split-thickness skin grafts (STSGs) is introduced. This technique yielded an excellent engraftment rate (90.5%) and no instances of total graft failure were recorded.

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Objectives: We evaluated the relationships between depth of invasion (DOI) of tongue cancer, as measured with preoperative T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and postoperative histopathologic (Path) specimens, with cervical lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and tumor stage. We also calculated the correlation of MRI and Path DOI measurements.

Study Design: This retrospective study included 101 patients who had squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and were treated surgically.

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Nanoparticles are used in industry and medicine, because of their physiochemical properties, such as size, charge, large surface area and surface reactivity. Recently, metal nanoparticles were reported to show cell toxicity on cancer cells. In this study, we focused novel platinum nanoparticles-conjugated latex beads (P2VPs), platinum nanocomposite (PtNCP) beads, and investigated the possibility to incorporate novel anti-cancer effect of these combined nanoparticles.

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  • * This report details a unique case where three static depressions in the mandible were discovered adjacent to major salivary glands in a 68-year-old man using panoramic radiography and CT.
  • * The CT showed these depressions to have similar density values to neighboring salivary glands, confirming their identity as normal parotid, sublingual, and submandibular glands; the patient showed no further concerns after follow-up.
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Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of ranulas. In addition, to elucidate DWI findings and ADC values of other representative masses in and around the floor of the mouth.

Study Design: DWI findings and ADC values in 35 patients with ranulas and 33 patients with other masses were retrospectively reviewed with a central focus on cystic masses or lesions that may have cyst-like components in and around the floor of the mouth based on the diagnosis of each respective disease.

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Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of evaluating the function of swallowing before and after surgery in patients with tongue cancer by using T2-weighted sequences of high-speed continuous magnetic resonance imaging (HSCMRI).

Study Design: The imaging findings and related parameters on HSCMRI along with those on routine MRI examinations before and after surgery were examined in 19 patients with tongue cancer. In addition, changes in various parameters during 1 year after surgery were evaluated in 10 patients.

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Telomerase activity is present in most cancers and is tightly regulated by the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Hypermethylation in the promoter region of hTERT contributes to the regulation of hTERT expression. In this study, we investigated the methylation and expression of hTERT in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), oral leukoplakia, and normal oral mucosa.

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Objectives: To elucidate the changes in the distributions of fluorine-18-labelled fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (F-FDG) accumulation in the tongue muscles of patients following four kinds of surgical operations for tongue cancers.

Methods: The changes in the distributions of F-FDG accumulations in the tongue muscles on positron emission tomography (PET)-CT, in association with imaging findings on CT and MRI, were retrospectively analyzed before and after four kinds of surgical operations for 50 patients with tongue cancers.

Results: F-FDG-PET-positive areas appeared at the back of the intrinsic muscles of the tongue after invasive surgery for tongue cancers despite the absence of abnormal findings on CT and MRI.

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Oral cancer, especially that originates in the maxillary tuberosity, buccal mucosa, and maxillary alveolus, is apt to invade the pterygopalatine fossa, where an intraoral approach is nearly impossible. There are 2 main types of extraoral approach to the pterygopalatine fossa; the anterior approach and the lateral approach. Although the lateral approach has an advantage compared with the anterior approach in terms of cosmetics, after the operation numbness of the lower lip occurs due to the sacrifice of the mental nerve.

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