Using Dry Needling to Improve the Quality of Life of Patients With Shoulder Dysfunction Following Neck Dissection: An Innovative Case Report.

The spinal accessory nerve manipulation or sacrifice during neck dissection results in trapezius muscle denervation and atrophy, leading to shoulder disability. Patients start experiencing pain and weakness while moving their shoulders, including elevation, rotation, and abduction, as well as reduced range of motion (ROM) and dropping of the shoulders. There are several ways to treat the condition, including using painkillers or undergoing physical therapy. Physical therapy plays a major role in improving shoulder function. Dry needling (DN) is an emerging treatment modality that involves eliciting a local twitch response in the region of myofascial trigger points, which can reduce pain and increase the ROM. This case report documents how DN improved shoulder function in a 51-year-old female who had pain when moving the shoulders and limited ROM after undergoing a modified radical neck dissection.

Versatility of Titanium Mesh in Comminuted Maxillofacial Fractures. A Retrospective Study.

Background: Titanium mesh provides three-dimensional stability, it is easier and quick in placement, highly malleable and adaptable hence, proved to be worth in restoring the function and form in cases of comminuted maxillofacial fractures. Materials and Methods: A total of 12 patients were included in this retrospective study at Department of Oral and maxillofacial surgery, Sri Rajiv Gandhi College of Dental Science and Hospital, from December 2015 to June 2020. Out of 12 patients, 7 reported with frontal bone fracture and 5 reported with mandibular fracture. Patients were followed up for upto 18 months to evaluate efficacy of titanium mesh on postoperative long-term healing, aesthetic outcomes and return to normal function were evaluated. Results: The results have shown that titanium mesh has low complication rates and the ability to maintain occlusion and chewing postoperatively. Union occurred without complication in 90% of fractures, and patients treated for frontal bone fracture had excellent cosmetic results. Conclusion: The semi rigid nature of the titanium mesh fixation allows micro movement at the healing bone ends, reduces stress shielding effect which may improve functional bone healing. Bony continuity of the mandible can be restored providing three-dimensional morphology and stability. The versatile placement of screws is the principal advantage.

The Role of Mouthguards in Preventing Temporomandibular Joint Injuries During Contact Sports: A Prospective Study.

Objectives: Injuries to the maxillofacial region during contact sports is a well-known issue. Protective measures have been advised to prevent and reduce these problems. Awareness regarding the role of mouthguards in preventing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) injuries during contact sports, is limited. The aim of the present study was to assess awareness regarding the use of mouthguards during contact sports and incidence of TMJ injuries in sportspersons. Materials and Methods: Eighty-six individuals training in contact sports were enrolled in the present study based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria. A questionnaire and clinical examination were used to assess TMJ pain, clicking, deviation, mouth opening, and locking. Results: The percentage of sportspersons aware of various protective gears was 23.8%. The awareness of TMJ injuries following contact sports was 6.9%, and 70.3% of the sportspersons were estimated to wear mouthguards. Clinical assessment of sportspersons using mouthguards revealed pain in 18.6% and clicking in 17.4% of the study subjects. The incidence of TMJ pain and clicking in individuals who did not use mouthguards were 81.4% and 82.6%, respectively. Conclusion: Application of mouthguards can reduce the incidence of TMJ injuries in contact sports. They also contribute significantly to the overall dental health of the athletes, as well as improving their overall athletic performance and decreasing the likelihood of other types of oral and facial injuries.

Quality of Life: determinant of success of head and neck cancer therapy in the battle of survival vs. rehabilitation.

BACKGOUND: Surgical treatment for cancers in the oral and maxillofacial region significantly impacts a patient's physical, social, functional, and psychological well-being, which can in-turn affect the Quality of Life (QoL) negatively. The goal of our study was to assess the Quality of Life (QoL) of patients who underwent surgery in our hospital, and we attempted to extrapolate the data which could in the future help improve the QoL of other patients who undergo similar treatments. METHODS: This was a retrospective study, including patients who have been treated for oral cancer in the last few years in the institute. The standard EORTC Questionnaires QLQ C-30 (version 3.0) and QLQ H and N-35 (version 1.0) were used in this study. RESULTS: GHS scores were lower in patients with T3 stage tumor than in patients with T1 stage tumor. Patients who underwent surgery along with radiotherapy and those who underwent surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy showed a substantial difference in their GHS and FS ratings when their treatment options were compared. Patients who had undergone surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy had higher scores on the symptom scale and QoL H&N-35 than patients who had just undergone surgery and radiotherapy There was no statistically significant difference in the scores, pertaining to the location, age, gender and stage of the tumor but when the comparison was made on the basis of treatment modality chosen, there was a significant difference in the scores. CONCLUSIONS: The aim of any treatment is to improve the Quality of Life. The EORTC questionnaires QLQ 30 and QLQ H and N-35 proved to be very appropriate instruments to evaluate QoL in patients with oral cancer. Assessment of QoL should always receive adequate attention in treatment planning and rehabilitation. Choice of treatment modality plays a significant role in QoL of patients treated for oral cancer. Henceforth, any treatment modality should be selected not only with a curative intent but also with the goal of improving the Quality of Life as this ultimately decides the success of the therapy from the patient's perspective.

Evaluation of effects of platelet-rich fibrin on treatment outcomes after impacted mandibular third molar surgery: A randomized controlled clinical study.

Background and Objective: Impaction of the third molar teeth is a common disorder which often necessitates their removal. After third molar surgery, the common postoperative sequelae are pain, trismus, and buccal swelling. Our study sought to evaluate the effect of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) on postoperative pain, swelling, trismus after surgical extraction of impacted mandibular 3rd molars. Materials and Methods: Over a period of 22 months (December 1, 2016-September 30, 2018), 44 patients in the age group of 18-40 years, who required surgical extraction of impacted third molar and met the inclusion criteria were recruited. After surgical extraction of the third molar, only primary closure was performed in the control group (22 Group), whereas PRF was placed in the socket followed by primary closure in the study group (22 patients). The outcome variables were pain, swelling, and maximum mouth opening were measured with a follow-up period of 1 week. Results: The application of PRF in the study group lessens the severity of immediate postoperative sequelae such as pain, swelling, and trismus compared to the control group. Conclusion: The treatment outcomes and postoperative sequel were better in the PRF group as compared to other control group on days 1, 3, and 7 postoperatively.

Evaluation of Sagittal Curving Osteotomy vs Conventional Advancement Genioplasty in Retrogenia Patients: a Randomized Control Trial.

Background and Objectives: With increasing aesthetic awareness, in addition to the forehead, nose, and cheekbone prominence, the chin nowadays is seen as one of the most important parts of the facial skeleton. Position of the chin has a strong influence on the assessment of the facial harmony; its different types and forms dominate the appearance. Furthermore, the expression of the chin is equated with character traits, and thus, it is an important component of the profile forms. Genioplasty is a routine procedure for the correction of aesthetic and functional deformity of the chin region. It is therefore one of the contour-enhancing surgical methods. The purpose of the present study is to study the versatility of sagittal curving osteotomy for advancement genioplasty as an alternative to conventional technique. Materials and Methods: A total of 24 subjects were enrolled for the study who were randomly distributed into two groups: group 1(n-12) comprising of patients in whom sagittal curving osteotomy was done and group 2 (n- 12) comprising of patients in whom conventional osteotomy was done. Neurosensory disturbances and hard and soft tissue relapse were compared between the two groups. Results: On comparison of all the variables, it was found that the conventional osteotomy technique had more hard tissue relapse and more neurosensory disturbance as compared to sagittal curving osteotomy technique. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that the use of sagittal curving osteotomy may be helpful in reducing postoperative neurosensory disturbances and relapses following genioplasty. Hence, it is recommended that sagittal curving osteotomy can be used as an alternative osteotomy technique for advancement genioplasty.