The etiopathogenesis of burning mouth syndrome (BMS) seems to be complex and many patients probably involves interactions among local, systemic, and/or psychological factors in the pathophysiologic mechanism. Although there are controversies over whether the psychological factor is a cause or a result of BMS, several studies have supported strong relationships between psychological factors and chronic pain. It has been suggested that somatic complaints from unfavorable life experiences may influence both individual personality and mood changes; however, initiation of BMS symptoms is not necessarily correlated with stressful life events despite their elevated psychological stress. If the psychological distress is not a causal factor of BMS, it seems that BMS patients may be particularly vulnerable to psychological problems, primarily depression, anxiety, and hostility due to the characteristic entities of BMS such as chronic persistent pain itself. It seems likely that both physiological and psychological factors play a role in causing, perpetuating and/or exacerbating BMS; therefore, both two components of the patient's symptoms must be addressed. The acceptance of psychological factors by the patient is often an important element of BMS, management. The evaluation of psychological and emotional status of BMS patient enables clinicians to recognize prolonged negative and subclinical factors which can complicate the management of pain or indirectly perpetuate other physical factors. This evaluation improves the doctor-patient relationships, motivation, and compliance through a correct understanding of the clinical problem. Appropriate emotional and psychological evaluation may be required prior to developing a treatment plan in order to gain the successful treatment outcome.

Purpose: Pilocarpine has the effects on improvement of salivary flow and subjective symptoms for xerostomic patients. Because of unwanted side effects following its systemic administration, topical pilocarpine has been paid attention as an alternative. This study aimed to investigate effects of pilocarpine solution as mouthwash on salivary flow and adverse effects compared to systemic administration of 5 mg pilocarpine tablet in healthy subjects. Methods: The study was a double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial. Five milligrams pilocarpine tablets, 4 mL of 2% pilocarpine solution and placebo solution were given to 12 healthy volunteers (6 males and 6 females) in a predetermined order with wash-out period of at least two days and unstimulated whole saliva was collected before and after administration of each drug. Blood pressure and pulse rate was also measured and subjective effect and potential side effects were evaluated by a self-administrated questionnaire. Results: Systemic (5 mg tablet) and topical (2% solution) use of pilocarpine significantly increased salivary flow rate in healthy subjects compared to placebo (p<0.001). In both the pilocarpine solution and tablet groups, salivary flow rates at 120 minutes after administration remained increased. Subjective effect on salivation was the largest in the pilocarpine tablet group, followed by the pilocarpine solution group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in blood pressure and pulse rate after administration of all three drugs. Fewer side effects reported in the pilocarpine solution group than in the tablet group. Conclusions: Two percents pilocarpine solution as mouthwash increases salivary flow rate, definitely superior to placebo solution and comparable to pilocarpine tablet, with fewer side effects in healthy subjects. It indicates a possibility of pilocarpine solution as a useful alternative of pilocarpine tablets for the xerostomic patients with systemic diseases.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate occupational distribution of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) patients and their diagnosis according to occupations and to evaluate the relationship between TMD and occupations. Work-related factors which might aggravate TMD symptoms were also evaluated. Methods: We investigated 316 TMD patients, aged from 13 to 65 years old, who had visited the Department of Oral Medicine in Pusan National University Dental Hospital. The subjects who have a job were assessed using TMD analysis examination and occupation questionnaire. The level of significance was p-value<0.05. Result: This study presented that the diagnoses according to occupations were not significant, but work-related factors such as verbal work and poor posture were related with TMD symptoms. Conclusions: Proper education is essential to prevent aggravation of TMD symptoms because TMD symptoms were more related to work environment than a specific occupation.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between possible occlusal change after stabilization splint therapy and the research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) Axis I diagnoses and lateral cephalometric variables. Methods: Clinical and radiographic records of 47 TMD patients wearing stablization splint were reviewed. The number of occluding teeth was recorded and lateral cephalogram was taken at pre-treatment and 6-month post-treatment. They were divided into two groups. The control group consists of patients with the unchanged number of occluding teeth throughout 6-month splint therapy (19 females and 4 males), and occlusal-loss group with the number of occluding teeth decreased (19 females and 5 males). The difference of RDC/TMD diagnoses and cephalometric variables were compared between two groups. Results: In the control group, RDC group I, muscle disorders, was 39.1% (9/23), group II, disc displacements, was 17.4% (4/23), group III OA, osteoarthritis/osteoarthrosis, was 73.9% (17/23), and group III pain, arthralgia, was 82.6% (19/23). In the occlusal-loss group, group I was 41.7% (10/24), group II was 41.7% (10/24), group III OA was 70.8% (17/24), and group III pain was 83.3% (20/24). The frequency of RDC groups was not different between two groups, analyzed by binomial logistic regression. Pre-treatment cephalometric variables were not different between two groups. However, articular angle, AB to mandibular plane and ODI decreased and gonial angle increased significantly in the occlusal-loss group, implying clockwise rotation of the mandible, between pre-treatment and 6-month post-treatment, while none of cephalometric variables showed any statistical difference in the control group. Conclusions: Change in the number of occluding teeth was not related to the RDC/TMD diagnoses. Cephalometric values changed only in the occlusal-loss group as a result of mandibular clockwise rotation. None of cephalometric variables before the stabilization splint therapy was statistically different between the control and occlusal loss group.

Purpose: This study aims to assess the psychological characteristics of patients with iatrogenic damage of the trigeminal nerve using Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Methods: A total of 22 patients who visited the clinic of Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Chosun University were evaluated in the months from December 2012 to December 2014. Patients were included in the study if they presented with reported sensory changes due to iatrogenic trigeminal nerve injury. A total of 37 control group who has no symptoms of pain and sensory change were included in the study. All participants filled out the SCL-90-R instrument to assess psychosocial symptoms. Results: The T-scores of most of the SCL-90-R symptom dimensions were within normal range (less than 55) in the patients and the control group. The patients group showed higher T-scores of SCL-90-R than those of the control group, with statistically significance of somatization, anxiety, psychoticism, and positive symptoms distress. Female patients group had higher Tscores of SCL-90-R than those of male patients group, but there was no statistical difference, except for the positive symptom global index. The chronic patients group showed higher Tscores of SCL-90-R than those of the acute patients group, but there was no statistical difference, except for the Positive symptom global index. Conclusions: According to the psychological assessment of iatrogenic trigeminal nerve injury patients using SCL-90-R, the patients group, as compared to the control group shows a significantly higher score for somatization, anxiety, and psychoticism. Therefore, assessment of psychological state would be considered to treat patients with iatrogenic trigeminal nerve injury.