Author Archives: chzechze

Cherubism Part 1

Cherubism is a rare genetic disorder that causes prominence in the lower portion in the face. The name is derived from the temporary chubby-cheeked resemblance to putti, often confused with cherubs, in Renaissance paintings.

Presentation

The appearance of people with the disorder is caused by a loss of bone in the mandible which the body replaces with excessive amounts of fibrous tissue. In most cases, the condition fades as the child grows, but in a few even rarer cases the condition continues to deform the affected person’s face. Cherubism also causes premature loss of the primary teeth and uneruption of the permanent teeth. Continue reading →

Behçet’s disease

Behçet’s disease (Sometimes called Behçet’s syndrome, Morbus Behçet, or Silk Road disease) is a rare immune-mediated systemic vasculitis that often presents with mucous membrane ulceration and ocular involvements. Behçet disease (BD) was named in 1937 after the Turkish dermatologist Hulusi Behçet, who first described the triple-symptom complex of recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers, and uveitis. As a systemic disease, it can also involve visceral organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, and neurological systems. This syndrome can be fatal, due to ruptured vascular aneurysms, or severe neurological complications. Continue reading →

Desquamative gingivitis

Desquamative gingivitis is a cutaneous condition characterized by diffuse gingival erythema with varying degrees of mucosal sloughing and erosion.

A band of red atrophic or eroded mucosa affecting the attached gingiva is known as dequamative gingivitis. Unlike plaque-induced inflammation it is a dusky red colour and extends beyond the marginal gingiva, often to the full width of the attached gingiva and sometimes onto the alveolar mucosa. DG is more common in middle-aged to elderly females, is painful, affects the buccal/labial gingiva predominantly. Some reserve the term for cases where the epithelium blisters or peels while others use it whenever the characteristic red appearance is present. (Edward W. Odell, 2010) Continue reading →

Oral herpes Part 1

Oral herpes is an infection of the mouth and lips caused by the herpes simplex virus (also termed HSV). The virus causes painful sores on lips, gums, tongue, roof of the mouth, and inside the cheeks and sometimes on the face and neck. It also can cause symptoms such as fever and muscle aches. People commonly refer to the infection as “cold sores.” Another condition, “canker sore,” is often thought to be caused by HSV, but this is not true. Canker sores occur only inside the mouth, on the tongue and on the soft palate (roof of mouth), not on skin surfaces. Although they reoccur, they are not contagious, usually are self-limiting, and have almost no complications. Canker sores are caused by substances that irritate the oral mucosa. Continue reading →

Difference between tooth abscess, cyst, and granuloma

Whenever a lesion is observed on a radiograph, it must first be described in general terms before a differential diagnosis is attempted.  Is the lesion radiolucent, radiopaque, or mixed (combination of radiolucency and radiopacity)?  Where is the lesion located?  The apices of which teeth are involved?  What is the size of the lesion?  Is the margin of the lesion ill-defined, well-defined, or well-defined with a radiopaque border?  Is the appearance of the bone surrounding the lesion: normal, porous, or sclerotic? Continue reading →

Bell’s palsy Part 2

Pathology

It is thought that as a result of inflammation of the facial nerve, pressure is produced on the nerve where it exits the skull within its bony canal, blocking the transmission of neural signals or damaging the nerve. Patients with facial palsy for which an underlying cause can be found are not considered to have Bell’s palsy per se. Possible causes include tumor, meningitis, stroke, diabetes mellitus, head trauma and inflammatory diseases of the cranial nerves (sarcoidosis, brucellosis, etc.). In these conditions, the neurologic findings are rarely restricted to the facial nerve. Babies can be born with facial palsy. In a few cases, bilateral facial palsy has been associated with acute HIV infection. Continue reading →

Bell’s palsy Part 1

Bell’s palsy is a form of facial paralysis resulting from a dysfunction of the cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve) that results in the inability to control facial muscles on the affected side. Several conditions can cause facial paralysis, e.g., brain tumor, stroke, and Lyme disease. However, if no specific cause can be identified, the condition is known as Bell’s palsy. Named after Scottish anatomist Charles Bell, who first described it, Bell’s palsy is the most common acute mononeuropathy (disease involving only one nerve) and is the most common cause of acute facial nerve paralysis. Continue reading →

Neck dissections

The neck dissection is a surgical procedure for control of neck lymph node metastasis from Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) of the head and neck. The aim of the procedure is to remove lymph nodes from one side of the neck into which cancer cells may have migrated. Metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma into the lymph nodes of the neck reduce survival and is the most important factor in the spread of the disease. The metastases may originate from SCC of the upper aerodigestive tract, including the oral cavity, tongue, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx, as well as the thyroid, parotid and posterior scalp. Continue reading →

Facial nerve test

Facial nerve tests are useful aids in determining prognosis in patients with facial nerve paralysis.  In treating patients with facial nerve disorders, one must be familiar with facial nerve anatomy, pathophysiology, and treatment options.  History and physical examination are the most important components of diagnosis in facial nerve disorders. Continue reading →