Revised evaluation objectives of the Korean Dentist Clinical Skill Test: a survey study and focus group interviews.

Purpose: This study aimed to propose a revision of the evaluation objectives of the Korean Dentist Clinical Skill Test by analyzing the opinions of those involved in the examination after a review of those objectives.

Methods: The clinical skill test objectives were reviewed based on the national-level dental practitioner competencies, dental school educational competencies, and the third dental practitioner job analysis. Current and former examinees were surveyed about their perceptions of the evaluation objectives.

Ultrasonographic examination of masticatory muscles in patients with TMJ arthralgia and headache attributed to temporomandibular disorders.

This study used ultrasonography to compare the thickness and cross-sectional area of the masticatory muscles in patients with temporomandibular joint arthralgia and investigated the differences according to sex and the co-occurrence of headache attributed to temporomandibular disorders (HATMD). The observational study comprised 100 consecutive patients with TMJ arthralgia (71 females and 29 males; mean age, 40.01 ± 17.

Comparison of ultrasonography-based masticatory muscle thickness between temporomandibular disorders bruxers and temporomandibular disorders non-bruxers.

To compare masticatory muscle thickness in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) during rest and clenching, and by body position, using ultrasonography. This prospective study included 96 patients with TMD (67 females, 29 males; mean age: 40.41 ± 17.

Age-related radiomorphometric changes on panoramic radiographs.

Objectives: We aimed to analyse age-related anatomical changes in teeth and mandibular structures using panoramic radiographs.

Materials And Methods: We included 471 subjects aged 13-70 years (mean, 35.12 ± 18.

Prediction of painful temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis in juvenile patients using bone scintigraphy.

The study aims to evaluate whether bone scintigraphy is effective in diagnosing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA) in juvenile patients. A retrospective study was conducted with 356 consecutive patients with TMJ-OA who were clinically assessed according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. Patients were assigned to three groups based on their ages: Group 1: aged 12-16 years; Group 2: aged 17-19 years; and Group 3: aged 20 years.

Orofacial complex regional pain syndrome: pathophysiologic mechanisms and functional MRI.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is one of the most challenging chronic pain conditions and is characterized by burning pain, allodynia, hyperalgesia, autonomic changes, trophic changes, edema, and functional loss involving mainly the extremities. Until recently, very few reports have been published concerning CRPS involving the orofacial area. We report on a 50-year-old female patient who presented with unbearable pain in all of her teeth and hypersensitivity of the facial skin.

Peripheral interactions between cannabinoid and opioid receptor agonists in a model of inflammatory mechanical hyperalgesia.

Activation of opioid and cannabinoid receptors expressed in nociceptors induces effective antihyperalgesia. In this study, we examined whether combinations of opioid and cannabinoid receptor agonists directed at the injured site would enhance therapeutic effectiveness. Behavioral pharmacology experiments were performed to compare the effects of DAMGO, a selective agonist for μ-opioid receptor (MOR), ACPA, a specific agonist for CB1, and combinations of DAMGO and ACPA in attenuating complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced mechanical hyperalgesia in the rat hindpaw.

Muramyl dipeptide activates human beta defensin 2 and pro-inflammatory mediators through Toll-like receptors and NLRP3 inflammasomes in human dental pulp cells.

Purpose: The expression levels of intracellular pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) and microbial pattern-recognition receptors, such as nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2), have been reported in human dental pulp cells (HDPCs) and inflamed dental pulp tissue, but the role of NLRP3 and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the production of human beta defensin 2 (hBD2) and inflammatory cytokines against invading pathogens remains poorly defined. The aim of this study was to determine whether the NOD2 ligand muramyl dipeptide (MDP) upregulates hBD2 and inflammatory cytokines and whether this response is dependent on TLRs and NLRP inflammasomes in HDPCs.

Methodology: The effects of MDP on the expression of hBD2, TLRs, inflammasomes, and pro-inflammatory mediators in HDPCs were examined using Western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of melatonin in hydrogen peroxide-stimulated CHON-001 human chondrocyte cell line and rabbit model of osteoarthritis via the SIRT1 pathway.

Melatonin has potent antioxidant, analgesic, and antinociceptive properties. However, the effects of melatonin against oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity and inflammatory mediators in human chondrocytes remain poorly understood. This study examined the effects and underlying mechanism of melatonin in hydrogen peroxide (H(2) O(2) )-stimulated human chondrocytes and rabbit osteoarthritis (OA) model.

Masseter inflammation differentially regulates three nitric oxide synthases in the rat trigeminal subnucleus caudalis.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate changes in expression levels of three nitric oxide synthases (NOSs), namely inducible NOS (iNOS), neuronal NOS (nNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS), in the subnucleus caudalis of the trigeminal sensory nuclear complex (Vc) under experimental myositis conditions.

Design: Male Sprague Dawley rats were injected with an inflammatory agent, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), or capsaicin in the masseter muscle. The brainstem region containing the Vc was extracted at both immediate (30 and 60 min) and longer (1, 3, 7 days) time points to examine the changes in the three NOS protein levels via the Western blot technique.

Peripheral AMPA receptors contribute to muscle nociception and c-fos activation.

In this study, involvement of peripheral AMPA receptors in mediating craniofacial muscle pain was investigated. AMPA receptor subunits, GluR1 and GluR2, were predominantly expressed in small to medium size neurons but more GluR2 positive labeling were encountered in trigeminal ganglia (TG) of male Sprague Dawley rats. A greater prevalence of GluR2 is reflected by the significantly higher percentage of GluR2 than GluR1 positive masseter afferents.

Hypertonic saline-induced muscle nociception and c-fos activation are partially mediated by peripheral NMDA receptors.

In this study, the animal model of hypertonic saline (HS) infusion protocol was developed and utilized to test the hypothesis that HS causes peripheral release of glutamate, and that blockade of peripheral NMDA receptors significantly reduces HS-induced nocifensive behavior and central neuronal activation. Nocifensive behavior and c-fos immunoreactivity, as a marker of central neuronal activation, were assessed from the animals that received intramuscular HS infusion with and without the NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801. HS infusion (20 microl/min for 10 min) in the rat masseter produced prolonged nocifensive hindpaw shaking responses that peaked in the first minute and gradually diminished over the infusion period.