Assessment of Somatosensory and Psychosocial Function of Patients With Trigeminal Nerve Damage.

OBJECTIVE: The present study assessed somatosensory changes related to trigeminal nerve damage using extensive evaluation tools and assessed the effect of such damage on the patients' psychosocial status and quality of life compared with healthy participants. METHODS: In 37 patients with intraorally or extraorally presenting trigeminal nerve damage diagnosed as painful or nonpainful posttraumatic trigeminal neuropathy, psychophysical tests like quantitative sensory testing (QST) and qualitative sensory testing and the electrophysiological "nociceptive-specific" blink reflex were performed. The patients and 20 healthy participants completed a set of questionnaires assessing their psychosocial status and quality of life. RESULTS: A loss or gain of somatosensory function was seen in at least 1 QST parameter in >88.9% of the patients. Patients in whom extraoral QST was performed showed an overall loss of somatosensory function, whereas intraoral QST showed a general gain of somatosensory function. Qualitative sensory testing identified a side-to-side difference in the tactile and pinprick stimulation in >77% of the patients. An abnormal "nociceptive-specific" blink reflex response was seen in 42.1% to 71.4% of patients dependent on the trigeminal branch stimulated, though comparisons with healthy reference values showed ambiguous results. Compared with the healthy participants, patients showed higher scores for pain catastrophizing, symptoms of depression and anxiety, limited jaw function, more somatic symptoms, and significantly impaired oral health-related quality of life (all P<0.038). DISCUSSION: The results from the present study showed presence of varied somatosensory abnormalities when assessed using psychophysical and electrophysiological investigations and a significantly impaired psychosocial status.

Effect of denture soft liner on mandibular ridge resorption in complete denture wearers after 6 and 12 months of denture insertion: A prospective randomized clinical study.

PURPOSE: Soft liners act as a cushion between the denture base and the residual ridge. Hence, it is important to study their effect on resorption of mandibular denture bearing area. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of soft denture liner on mandibular ridge resorption after 1 year in completely denture wearers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight completely edentulous patients having age between 45 and 60 years with well-formed ridges in class I jaw relations were selected as per the inclusion and exclusion criterion. Randomization chart was used to enroll participants in experimental and control groups who were given mandibular dentures with and without soft denture liner, respectively. Vertical measurements were made on orthopantomograph and analyzed using Adobe Photoshop 7.0 software at five points, i.e., one at central incisor and two points at right and left first premolars and two in each first molar region. RESULTS: On application of repeated measures analysis of variance, both groups showed a significant change in bone height after denture delivery (P < 0.05). Intergroup comparison (Wilcoxon rank sum test) of bone height in different regions at various time intervals showed statistically significant difference in bone levels (P < 0.05) from baseline to 6 months and baseline to 12months (P < 0.01), while the difference was statistically not significant during 6 and 12 months' period. CONCLUSION: The use of soft denture liner significantly reduces the residual ridge resorption in complete denture wearers as compared to conventional denture wearers (without denture liner) over a period of 1 year.