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The morphogenetic process of development of the circumference of the mandibular fossa during tooth eruption, which involves the replacement of deciduous teeth with permanent teeth, is strongly affected by occlusion. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have investigated the effect of occlusion on this process. This study investigated the morphogenetic process of development during tooth eruption using dried skulls harvested from Indian donors. The average distance between the ala-major-squamosa suture and the foramen ovale according to age group was as follows: 3.24 mm in the 8-month-old group and 8.92 mm in the adult group. The average distance between the ala-major-squamosa suture and the apex of the articular tubercle according to age groups was as follows: 10.38 mm in the 8-month-old group and 19.34 mm in the adult group. The average distance between the point of intersection of the petrosquamous fissure and petrotympanic fissure located on the perpendicular line drawn posteriorly from the shortest distance of the medio-lateral axis between the ala-major-squamosa suture and the apex of the articular tubercle according to age group was as follows: 9.68 mm in the 8-month-old group and 14.3 mm in the adult group. These results suggest that the mandibular fossa is strongly affected by load due to occlusion, unlike the growth of the neurocranium. This indicates that the effect of occlusion is a secondary element in the morphogenetic process of development of the circumference of the mandibular fossa.

Accurate orthodontic analysis and diagnosis based on anatomical landmarks is essential to the success of orthodontic treatment. Helical computed tomography (CT) has evolved markedly, and dentists can now quickly obtain 3-dimensional (3D) reconstruction data using this imaging modality. The planning of orthodontic treatment had traditionally been based on cephalometric analysis using 2D landmarks. This study aimed to collect 3D morphological data using CT images to establish new landmarks for analysis and diagnosis in orthodontic treatment. Twenty male and 20 female adult Japanese dry skulls with of normal occlusion were selected. The skulls were scanned using a multidetector helical CT system (SIEMENS, Volume Zoom Plus 4, Germany). Models were reconstructed using 3D measurement software (Simplant, Dentsply Sirona, Tokyo, Japan) and 45 landmarks determined. Three-dimensional measurement for a total of 30 items representing these landmarks was then performed. The results provided 3D standard values for maxillofacial morphology in adult Japanese individuals with normal occlusion. These measurement items should allow the disadvantages of 2D cephalometric analysis to be overcome.

While a digital arteriovenous anastomosis (Hoyer-Grosser's organ, Masson's glomus) is a well-known structure, photographic evidence of communication between arterial and venous lumens might not be demonstrated in routine histological or immunohistochemical analysis. Abundant clusters of so-called glomera were found in semi-serial sections of the distal aspect of 14 fingers obtained from 7 donated elderly cadavers. Two to six round or oval clusters were observed in each longitudinal section (over 0.3-0.6 mm in maximum diameter) in subcutaneous tissue 0.5-1.5 mm below the basal layer of the skin, whereas none were often observed in transverse sections. Lumen-to-lumen communication between arteriole and venule at 8 sites in 2 cadavers was identified in these clusters of glomera. The opening in the arteriole was large (50 μm in diameter) at 3 sites in specimens from an 80-year-old man, whereas it was small (10-30 μm) at 5 sites in those from a 91-year-old man. The arterial aspect was tightly surrounded by abundant nerve fibers expressing tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity, whereas the venous part was not. No or little expression of S100 protein immunoreactivity suggested that these nerve fibers were unmyelinated. The morphology at the lumen-to-lumen communication was simple - possibly an end-to-end anastomosis - rather than a sinuous curve of arteriole opening on to a short funnel-shaped venule as seen in the standard textbooks.

The objective of this study was to analyze the distribution and morphology of the valves in the human retromandibular vein. The retromandibular, internal thoracic, azygos, femoral, and brachial veins were harvested from 46 cadavers donated to the Department of Anatomy at Tokyo Dental College for dissection. The frequency of the valves in each vein, the length of the cusps, and the thickness of the vein itself were measured. Valves were present at high frequency (92.1%) in the veins of the limbs and had cusps at least twice as long as the internal diameter of the vein. Veins in the trunk contained a lower frequency of valves, with cusps that tended to be shorter (1.60±0.77) than those of the venous valves in the limbs (2.12±0.60). The valves of the retromandibular vein tended to resemble venous valves in the trunk in terms of both frequency and morphology. The main function of venous valves in the limbs is to prevent retrograde flow. Conversely, valves in the veins of the trunk and retromandibular vein play a role in retaining blood in the veins, and their relationship to other veins means that they can cause major hemorrhage.

Here, we describe the provision of an implant-supported prosthesis in a patient with impacted teeth in the maxilla, which complicated implant placement and necessitated utilization of the extraction sockets of previously impacted teeth and residual submerged roots. The patient was a 63-year-old man who visited our clinic with the chief complaint of difficulty in mastication. Numerous residual roots were observed in the maxilla, and radiographic imaging revealed that the residual roots of teeth #13 and #16 were fully impacted. The patient complained of a strong sensation of a foreign body in the area of a denture support overlying these residual roots. Therefore, the impacted teeth were extracted, 5 implants placed, and a temporary prosthesis provided. Given the necessity of placing the implant through the extraction socket of the impacted canine (#13), favorable initial stability was achieved using a long (>20 mm) implant. Moreover, autogenous bone obtained by osteotomy was grafted onto the extracted impacted tooth socket. The clinical condition was stable at approximately 1 year after implant placement and so the final prosthesis was delivered, with periodic check-ups being performed every 3 months thereafter. After 4 years, the patient has reported no symptoms. Clinically, there are no signs of inflammation, and the postoperative condition is deemed to be very favorable.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of mesenchymal cells on myoblasts in long-term cultivation of myoblast cell sheets. Sheets of myoblasts and mesenchymal cells from Japanese rabbit oral mucosa were generated and analyzed by histochemistry, Western blot, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The presence of desmin and type IV collagen, which is seen in normal muscle tissue, was also confirmed in all the sheets produced. Expression of desmin and type IV collagen showed a decrease under co-culture conditions. In addition, expression of genes important in maintaining the undifferentiated state (Pax7, CD34, myogenin, MyoD) in myoblasts was observed throughout the long cultivation period. Insulin-like growth factor was expressed only when the mesenchymal cells were co-cultured with myoblasts. These data suggest that the presence of mesenchymal cells in a long-term co-culture system influences myoblast differentiation.

We focused on brain areas activated by audiovisual stimuli related to swallowing motions. In this study, three kinds of stimuli related to human swallowing movement (auditory stimuli alone, visual stimuli alone, or audiovisual stimuli) were presented to the subjects, and activated brain areas were measured using fMRI and analyzed. When auditory stimuli alone were presented, the supplementary motor area was activated. When visual stimuli alone were presented, the premotor and primary motor areas of the left and right hemispheres and prefrontal area of the left hemisphere were activated. When audiovisual stimuli were presented, the prefrontal and premotor areas of the left and right hemispheres were activated. Activation of Broca's area, which would have been characteristic of mirror neuron system activation on presentation of motion images, was not observed; however, activation of brain areas related to swallowing motion programming and performance was verified for auditory, visual and audiovisual stimuli related to swallowing motion. These results suggest that audiovisual stimuli related to swallowing motion could be applied to the treatment of patients with dysphagia.

Histological changes in the masseter muscle were observed over time in mdx mice, a muscular dystrophy model. It was found that marked necrosis occurs about the time of weaning at around 4 weeks of age; then the tissue actively regenerates at 8 weeks and stabilizes as regenerated muscle with centronuclei at 15 weeks old. This study examined the centronucleus in regenerated muscle. The process from necrosis to regeneration in muscle fibers occurs a little later in the masseter muscle than in other limbic muscles. Regenerated muscles observed around 15 weeks after birth showed a moth-eaten appearance. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) observation of transverse sections of muscle fibers revealed that myofibrils surrounded lost regions in the area showing a moth-eaten appearance. Thus, some defensive mechanism may affect the ability of muscle fibers to maintain a function close to normal in mdx mice even though the muscle fibers develop muscular dystrophy. The function of the masseter muscle drastically changes from sucking to mastication behavior at around 4 weeks, and this was considered to influence the morphological changes in the muscle tissue. The moth-eaten appearance seen at 15 weeks may represent an appropriate myofibril reconstruction preventing invasion of the lost regions.

The placement of dental implants in the molar region of the maxilla is often difficult because of the presence of the maxillary sinus. It has recently been postulated that the pillar of bone consisting of the maxillary tuberosity, the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone, and the pyramidal process of the palatine bone, which is located at the posterior part of the maxilla, is suitable for fixing implants in the maxilla. In this study, we morphometrically examined the figure of the pillar of bone in dentate and edentulous maxillary bone specimens. The posterior part of the maxilla, including the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone and pyramidal process of the palatine bone was embedded in polyester resin. Serial transverse sections 500 microns thick were prepared, and soft X-ray photographs were taken. Three-dimensional images of the pillar of bone were reconstructed from the contour in the soft X-ray images, and the height inclination angles, and volume of the pillar were measured. In dentulous specimens, the imaginary approximation line of the center of the gravity of the pillar of bone in the posterior part of the maxilla was inclined antero-posteriorly at an angle of 76.5 +/- 3.0 degrees from the anterior to posterior direction against the Frankfurt horizontal plane and bucco-palatally at 17.2 +/- 2.7 degrees to the medial direction against the sagittal plane. In edentulous specimens, the pillar of bone was inclined antero-posteriorly at 67.3 +/- 5.0 degrees against the Frankfurt horizontal plane and bucco-palatally at 14.1 +/- 2.1 degrees against the sagittal plane. The volume of the pillar of bone was greater in edentulous specimens than those in the dentulous specimens. The present results will enable setting up a standard for implant surgery dentulous specimens.

The masseter muscle functions by attaching itself to the mandible. Thus, it is important to study the relationship between the masseter muscle and mandible to clarify the complex movement of the jaw. In this study, the chronological changes in the attachment site of the masseter muscle to the mandible following injury were observed in rats. These findings suggest that, in order for the masseter muscle to recover after injury, the tendinous fibers must be repaired, so that the entire muscle can be protected and recover functionality to some degree.

The present study examined the relationship between jaw movement and the site of attachment of the sphenomandibular ligament, which is involved in the control of lateral jaw movement. Major fibers of this ligament are attached to the sphenoid spine and the mandibular lingula. During early stages of embryonic development, however, this ligament is not attached to the sphenoid spine. No consensus has yet been reached concerning the time at which this ligament becomes attached to this spine. The present study was performed to resolve this question and to analyze the relationship of this event of jaw movement. Attachment of the sphenomandibular ligament to the sphenoid spine was observed in fetuses at a gestational age of about 8 months (32 weeks). This may be because fetuses undergo functional changes (initiation of jaw movement such as mastication and swallowing) at this gestational age. This finding suggests that the attachment of the sphenomandibular ligament to the sphenoid spine may be related to fetal jaw movements.

The skin surface contains furrows called wrinkles, Langer's lines, and skin grooves that are characteristic ultrastructures of the skin. When a skin incision line is determined, these features should be considered. Many studies have examined skin wrinkles, the number of which increases with age. Langer's lines have also been studied extensively in cadavers. However, these studies may not consistently reflect Langer's lines in living individuals. Most of the studies of skin grooves have examined dermatoglyphics such as fingerprinting, palm printing, and sole printing. Very few studies have examined skin grooves in other areas or quantified their characteristics. The present study analyzed skin grooves of the head and neck in relationship to age, sex, and region. Subjects consisted of 50 nursery school children aged 6 years, 50 college students aged 20 years, and 50 adults aged over 60 years. Impressions were obtained from: 1) forehead, 2) root of the nose, 3) lateral ocular angle, 4) cheek, and 5) neck. The samples were cut into cubes (5.0 x 5.0 x 1.0 mm) and ion-coated with Au-Pdin by a cool sputter coater. Then scanning electron micrographs (x 50) were taken and analyzed by computer morphometry CB-TASPER. Densities of skin grooves and the specific length representing the complexity of grooves per unit area were analyzed using computer morphometry CB-TASPER software. The density of skin grooves differed according to the area, especially among samples taken from the forehead, root of the nose, and the neck. Females had more grooves than males, particularly in the neck region. Skin grooves decreased with age; they appear to change and be absorbed by increasing wrinkles, thus becoming indistinct.

To clarify the internal structure of the mandibular ramus in Japanese adults, we performed bone morphometry. Specimens were obtained from four areas: the mid-area between the mandibular foramen and the lowest point of the mandibular notch, areas immediately above and below the mandibular foramen, and the mid-area between the mandibular foramen and the mandibular angle. The mandibular ramus was divided into the anterior and posterior parts, and morphometric analysis was performed on the four areas in each part. The percentage of the trabecular bone area in spongy bone was higher in the anterior part than in the posterior part. In both the anterior and posterior parts, the percentage of trabecular bone was the highest in the most inferior area. Trabecular bone was thicker in the anterior part than in the posterior part. Both in the anterior and posterior parts, trabecular bone was the thickest in the most inferior area. The arrangement of trabecular bone was more complicated in the anterior part than in the posterior part. Trabecular bone was most frequently arranged in the anteroposterior direction. In the superior area of the posterior part, much trabecular bone ran from the posterior buccal side toward the anterior lingual side. Compact bone was thicker in the anterior part than in the posterior part and on the buccal side than on the lingual side. No age-related changes were observed in any element of trabecular bone structure.

We precisely examined the origin, attachment, manner and insertion of the medial pterygoid muscle to clarify the relationship between muscle morphology and mastication movement. The muscular bundle attachment of the medial pterygoid muscle at the origin could be divided into three types; 1) the muscle was attached to the inner surface of the medial pterygoid plate with a strong tendon, 2) to the posterior maxilla wall with a strong tendon, and 3) directly to the periosteum of the inner surface of the lateral plate without a tendon. Provided that the muscular bundles had a firmly tendinous attachment under strong and significant force during their functioning, significant force would be applied to the medial pterygoid muscle in two directions. Observations of the intersection with the medial pterygoid muscle in the posterior wall of the maxillary bone at the origin revealed intersecting fibers or tendon fusion in all 55 specimens. Since there are different muscular bundle groups within the medial pterygoid muscle, we expect to elucidate more of masticatory function by observing other masticatory muscles as well as the medial pterygoid muscle.

Reconstructive surgery uses various musculocutaneous flaps following resection of head and neck malignant tumor. Numerous anatomical studies have reported that the thoracoacromial artery arises from the axillary artery, but those findings have not been completely confirmed. The aim of this study was to investigate the path from the origin of the thoracoacromial artery until its pectoral branches enter the pectoralis major muscle. The following results were obtained. 1. There were no cases in which the thoracoacromial artery arose from the third part of the axillary artery. 2. There were differences between the left and right sides in the vertical and horizontal origins of the thoracoacromial artery in relation to the clavicle and median line. 3. Pectoral branches showed a single origin from the thoracoacromial artery most frequently. 4. Pectoral branches descend in parallel to the median line most frequently on the right side and descended medially to the median line most frequently on the left side. 5. The largest number of branches approached the venter vertically at the height of the third rib. There findings suggest that, during operations involving a musculocutaneous flap, the surgeon must pay attention to the differences in vascular morphology of the right and left sides.

To clarify changes in the trabecular structure due to loss of the teeth, the author compared soft X-ray images and morphological measurement values of the mandibular condyle and articular eminence between dentulous and edentulous specimens. The center of the skull base containing the temporomandibular joint was removed along the Frankfort horizontal and median sagittal planes. A block in the center of the cranial base was rejected using the Frankfort horizontal plane and median sagittal plane as references. The specimens were embedded in polyester resin by the routine method. The hardened specimens were horizontally cut into 500 microns sections and photographed using soft X-ray films. Soft X-ray of each section was taken for observation by naked eye and morphometry by computer. Observation of the compact bone in the articular eminence showed thinner compact bone on the posterior slope of the articular eminence, which is a functional plane, than on the anterior slope of the articular eminence. There was a trabecular bone group on the lateral area running from the compact bone on the posterior surface of the articular eminence into the zygomatic arch and a thick trabecular bone group in a network pattern on the medial area. In the central area of the mandibular condyle, spongy bone was surrounded by oval compact bone, and the internal trabecular bone ran anteromedially in nearly the same pattern as the arrangement of the lateral pterygoid muscle. At all sites, the density, width, extent, and index indicating the complexity of the trabecular bone had higher values in dentulous specimens than in edentulous specimens.

Several types of musculocutaneous flaps, including that the pectoralis major, have been used for reconstruction following resection of malignant tumors in the head and neck region. Although several clinical studies have investigated the vascularity of such musculocutaneous flaps, the findings have been inconsistent. The present study examined the distribution of arteries in the pectoralis major muscle and surrounding subcutaneous tissue by macroscopic dissection and angiography. Based on the results of this examination, muscle layer and surrounding subcutaneous tissue appear to be supplied by different arteries and show different distribution patterns. However, evidence of penetrating branches from the muscle layer to the subcutaneous tissue layer suggests the existence of blood flow from the muscle layer to the subcutaneous tissue layer. Such arterial branches should be considered when raising the pectoralis major flap in order to prevent necrosis and improve the viability of the flap.

A technique was developed to use the pedicle buccal fat pad as method for closing an oro-antral communication. The buccal fat pad is situated in the posterior part of the maxilla and bounded by the pterygopalatine fossa, buccal muscle, and masseter muscle. It is supplied by blood from small branches of the maxillary artery, the superficial temporal artery, and the facial artery. Generally, the buccal fat pad can be easily reached by a horizontal incision over the periosteum near the maxillary third molar. As much as 60 x 50mm2 can be obtained. For reconstructive surgery, the buccal fat pad is suitable for closing the sinus near the hard and soft palate and naso-oral fistulae. In our case, graft tissues after surgery healed satisfactorily, began to epithelialize at two weeks after operation, and appeared with normal mucous-like changes at about one month. Thus, the pedicle buccal fat pad is a safe, simple, convenient, and effective grafting method, if it is applied to appropriate cases.

Studies of the run and the attachment of the lateral pterygoid muscle were made on 79 samples from 41 cadavers in the collection of the Department of Anatomy of the Tokyo Dental College. Origin shapes were classified into 3 types: type I, in which there is a clear boundary between the muscle venter adhesion for the upper muscle venter and the lower muscle venter; type II, where the boundary between them is unclear; and type III, where the difference between the two cannot be distinguished at all. When this classification was applied to the specimens, all 21 of the 1-venter specimens fell into type III; 37 (69.8%) of the 2-venter specimens fell into type I; 10 (18.9%) of the 2-venter specimens fell into type II, and 6 (11.3%) of the 2-venter specimens fell into type III. All 5 of the 3-venter specimens were type II. From the results of this studies, we saw that, regardless of which investigation method was employed, the number of venter runs and the origin configuration did not correlate at all.