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This article provides a brief overview of the tools and methods that may be useful to assess neuropathic trigeminal pain. Pain is a complex multidimensional and biopsychosocial experience. While the assessment of neuropathic trigeminal pain is complex, there are several meaningful ways available for the systematic assessment of neuropathic pain and its effects and manifestations. The key to such an analysis is a standardized pain history and examination and a good knowledge of pain mechanisms. Patients can be asked to provide detailed information about their spontaneous pain (ie, stimulus-independent pain), eg, quality, intensity, localization, time course, and modifying factors. Stimulus-dependent pain components can be characterized with clinical examination procedures and quantitative psychophysical techniques such as application of mechanical, thermal, chemical, and electrical stimuli. The description of the stimulus-dependent pain is important to reveal the function of the somatosensory system and to map the extent of hyperalgesia, hyperesthesia and allodynia, because the normal relationship between stimulus intensity and perceived intensity is distorted in many neuropathic pain conditions. In addition to the psychophysical techniques, a number of laboratory tests for assessment of trigeminal pain have been developed and tested, although critical information on sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values is still scarce. There is also a need for common guidelines on classification, diagnostic procedures, and management. This will require concerted international, interdisciplinary action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated clinical outcomes following intraoperative use of adult mesenchymal stem cells ( MSCs) in various oral reconstructive procedures. PubMed was searched without language restrictions from 2000 to 2011 using the search words stem cell, oral surgery, tissue engineering, sinus lift, bone regeneration and combinations of these. Inclusion criteria were intraoperative use of MSCs in the study design. Reference lists of the articles found were searched for other related studies. Eighteen clinical trials using MSCs for sinus augmentation were found: five case reports on the repair of large bony defects and six studies on ridge augmentation and healing of alveolar sockets after third molar extraction. The findings suggest that MSCs are capable of producing in vivo bone, re-establishing lost tissue and facilitating placement of dental implants. Use of MSCs would reduce patient morbidity because of a less stressful harvesting technique than that of autogenous bone. The majority of clinical trials indicate that MSCs can produce bone in vivo. However, a satisfactory outcome was not seen in all studies, and due to the diversity of study designs, a 'golden approach' cannot be determined. Before use of MSCs can be considered as a first-choice treatment, more predictable outcomes and better long-term prognoses need to be established. Conventional bone grafting remains the gold standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]