Human DEK gene on chromosome 6p encodes a 43kD nuclear phospoprotein that was originally identified as part of a fusion protein found in a subset of acute myeloid leukemia carrying a t(6;9) translocation. Although DEK upregulation has been described in a number of human malignancies and was significantly associated with high histologic grade, lymph node metastasis and/or advanced clinical stage, no previous report has evaluated the expression of DEK protein and its clinical significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Our aims were to determine DEK expression in tissue samples of normal oral mucosa and OSCC by immunohistochemistry, to analyze the correlation between DEK expression and clinicopathological parameters, and to evaluate the value of DEK as a prognostic marker for patient’s survival. Ten normal oral mucosa, 10 epithelial dysplasia, and 60 OSCC samples were studied by immunohistochemistry. DEK expression tended to increase through the full thickness of epithelium in the dysplastic mucosa when compared with those in normal oral mucosa. High expression of DEK protein (score ≥ 2) was found in 68.3% of OSCC cases. Statistical analysis revealed that DEK overexpression in OSCC was positively correlated with high histologic grade (p=0.001), lymph node metastasis (p=0.003), and advanced clinical stage (p=0.039). In the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, DEK overexpression was significantly associated with decreased overall survival in patients with OSCC (p=0.019). Our results suggest that DEK overexpression may be a reliable marker to predict the clinical outcome in OSCC.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes involved in degradation of the extracellular matrix. MMP-8 has been reported to be involved in the degradation of collagen in progression of dental caries. MMP-13 was found to be expressed in both normal and caries pulp, implying its involvement in the pathogenesis of dental caries. Four extracted teeth were used. They were categorized into four grades according to caries progression. Three sections were prepared from each separated crown and root. Immunofluorescence of the FITC of the MMP-8 and 13 in coronal and radicular dentin was analyzed by confocal microscopy. Immunofluorescence signals that were indicative of MMP-8 were observed both in radicular and coronal dentin in the sound, C1 and C3 carious teeth. In C2 carious teeth, immunofluorescence signals that were indicative of MMP-8 were observed only in radicular dentin. Immunofluorescence signals that were indicative of MMP-13 were observed both in radicular and coronal dentin in the sound teeth. In C1, C2 and C3 carious teeth, immunofluorescence signals that were indicative of MMP-13 were not observed both in radicular and coronal dentin. Immunofluorescence signals revealed that MMP-8 and 13 were present in coronal and radicular dentin, and was differently expressed as caries progressed.

The nasopalatine duct cyst is the developmental non-odontogenic cyst caused by epithelium remnants of fetal nasopalatine duct. The trauma of incisive canal associated dental implant placement in the anterior maxilla can cause the nasopalatine duct cyst. It is difficult to identify the nasopalatine duct cyst or the location of the incisive canal, only using periapical radiograph or panorama radiograph. So it is necessary to take computed tomography scan for an analysis on the relation between the implant and the incisive canal. This case report present the patient had the nasopalatine duct cyst following the placement of dental implant in the anterior maxilla, and was undergone implant removal and cyst enucleation with bone graft.

We report a rare case of intraosseous epidermoid cyst in mandibular body. A non symptomatic patient without trauma history had a cystic lesion on mandible close to the third molar. The lesion was enucleated while extracting of left lower third molar. The microscopic findings were consistent with an epidermoid cyst.

It is very rare case to observe the one lesions within two types of tumors at the same time. These case classified into two types according to histopathological characteristics. One is composite tumor, and the other is collision tumor. Composite tumor is a lesion showing the combined histopathological characteristics of two or more previously recognized tumor and/or cysts of different categories. Two constituent parts are mixed with each other, and histological transition is often observed. On the other hand, collision tumor is a lesion showing the independent histopathological characteristics of two or more previously recognized tumor and/or cysts of different categories. Two constituent parts are separated each other by connective tissue, and histological transition is not observed. Their origin is still unclear. In this study, a collision tumor was reported. 77-year old woman was referred to CNUH with a neck mass in right submandibular area. Incisional biopsy was carried out, and the patient was diagnosed as collision tumor of squamous cell carcinoma and neurofibroma. After reviewing studies reporting collision tumor from head and neck area, formation of a collision tumor was most frequent from a cervical area and average age is 59.6. A collision tumor commonly lead to misdiagnosis, and the prognosis is not always transparent. The variety symptom of collision tumor has to be kept in mind in the diagnosis and treatment of the lesions in head and neck area.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes involved in degradation of the extracellular matrix.In a previous study, MMP-13 was found to be expressed in pulp implying its involvement in the pathogenesis of dental caries. Two extracted teeth were used. A sound tooth and a tooth with wide range of dental caries were used. Two sections were obtained each from isolated crown and root. Immunofluorescence of the FITC of the MMP-13 in coronal and radicular dentin was analyzed by confocal microscopy. Immunofluorescence signals that were indicative of MMP-13 were observed in coronal dentin of sound teeth and in carious teeth with a wide range of caries. Marked immunofluorescent reaction was observed in the border line of caries infected and affected coronal dentin. MMP-13 expression was not detected in the root dentin. The expressions of MMP-13 in carious dentin imply the roles of MMP-13 in caries progression.

Mucormycosis generally presents as an acute infection manifesting in rhinocerebral, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, cutaneous, or disseminated forms. Fungal invasion to the arteries can reduce blood supply by thrombi formation inside the blood vessels, leading to necrosis. Fungal infection usually initiates in the upper turbinate, paranasal sinus, or less commonly in the palate or pharynx. Here we report an unusual case of mucormycosis in the maxilla of a 75-year-old man and present a review of the literature.

Cherubism is a rare familial multilocular cystic disease of the jaws. Cherubism mostly has an autosomal dominant inheritance. This disease mainly occurs in children, has a tendency toward spontaneous remisson after puberty. Clinically, it shows bilateral bone enlargement of the jaws and multilocular cystic lesion on radiograph. Histologically, the lesion shows fibrovascular stroma and osteoblast like multinucleated giant cell. These features are similar to other bone disease such as central giant cell granuloma. So it needs differential diagnosis by clinical, radiological and histophathologic examinations. We report with review of literatures the fifteen years old male patient who had diagnosed as cherubism by clinicoradiological and histopathologic examination results.

Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common benign tumor of the salivary glands. About 90% of these tumors occur in the parotid gland and 10% of them occur in the minor salivary glands. The most common sites for pleomorphic adenoma of the minor salivary glands are the palate, followed by the lips and the cheeks. Pleomorphic adenoma of the palate presents clinically as a painless, slow-growing mass found on posterior lateral aspect. In this case report, we report a case of pleomorphic adenoma of the palate in a 36-year old male patient whose initial diagnosis was vascular mass such as hemangioma or lymphangiohemangioma by preoperative CT and MRI.

In order to know the characteristic roles of salivary protein complex (SPC) the gel-filtration chromatography was performed using the unstimulated and the stimulated whole saliva separately. The first and second dominant SPC peaks were fractionated and analyzed by immunoprecipitation HPLC (IP-HPLC) using antibodies against the essential salivary proteins including α-amylase, mucin-1, proline rich proteins (PRPs), histatin, cystatin, LL-37, lysozyme, lactoferrin, -defensin-1, -2, -3, IgA, transglutaminase 4 (TGase 4), mucocidin, α1-antitrypsin, cathepsin G. In the gel-filtration chromatography the stimulated whole saliva showed much reduced amount of SPCs than the unstimulated whole saliva, but the proportional patterns of both whole saliva were almost similar each other. Through IP-HPLC analysis both of the first and second dominant SPCs were variably positive for the essential salivary proteins, however, α-amylase, mucin-1, PRPs, lysozyme, and cathepsin G were predominant in the first dominant SPC, while cystatin, lactoferrin, β-defensin-1, -2, -3, IgA, mucocidin, TGase 4, and α1-antitrypsin were predominant in the second dominant SPC. And more, the α1-antitrypsin and cathepsin G which were mostly derived from gingival crevicular fluid were also consistently found in the SPCs. These data may suggest that the first dominant SPC, rich in α-amylase, mucin-1, PRPs, lysozyme, and cathepsin G, may play a role in food digestion, protein degradation, and mucosa lubrication, while the second dominant SPC, rich in cystatin, lactoferrin, β-defensin-1, -2, -3, mucocidin, IgA, TGase 4, and α1-antitrypsin, may play a role in the mucosa protection and antimicrobial defense.

Subcutaneous emphysema is a rare but serious side effect of dental and oral surgery procedures. The condition is characterized by air being forced underneath the tissue, leading to swelling, crepitus on palpation, and with potential to spread along the fascial planes to the periorbital, mediastinal, pericardial, and/or thoracic spaces. A wide range of causes have been documented for the origin of subcutaneous emphysema during dental treatment including: crown preparations, other operative procedures, endodontic therapy, extractions, as well as oral surgery procedures. The patient was a 58-year-old woman who presented to the Seoul Saint mary’s hospital emergency department with a chief complaint of facial edema, dyspnea and chest discomfort after periodontal treatment using an air-flow equipment in local dental clinic. During treatment in the emergency department, oxygen therapy and intravenous injection of steroid and anti-histamine was done. it was noted that the patient had pain and swelling on left lower molar region, pus discharging on same site. Severe edema was observed on periorbital region to neck with heatness. An audible crepitus sound was heard during palpation on facial area. Neck CT scan and antibiotic therapy was done, as symptom suggesting dental abscess is observed. 3 hours after injection of antibiotics, the patient’s symptom was relieved, but she felt chest discomfort continuously. CT scan with constrast depicted confluent and extensive soft tissue emphysematous changes involving face and deep neck spaces and pneumomediastinum. The patient was refered to thoracic surgery department, oxygen therapy was decided continuously. After 10 hours, patient’s chief complaint was resolved, and discharged. After 1 week, all symptom was disappear and follow-up neck CT scan finding was disappearance of edema and pnuemomediastinum. We report a case of cervical subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum occurring after periodontal treatment using an air-flow equipment and case on the diagnosis and treatment of subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum, along with a review of the literature.

Fibromatoses are benign fibroblastic proliferation, which forms infiltrating tumor-like mass. Their histologic features cannot reflect the biologic behavior; local recurrence and aggressive infiltration to the adjacent tissue make fibromatoses intermediate tumor, between benign and malignant. Infantile fibromatosis consists of desmoid-type tumor and lipofibromatosis, and mainly affects children under age of 10. While desmoid-type tumor is characterized by elongated mature fibroblastic proliferation, the fibroblasts in lipofibromatosis look more primitive and accompany adipocytes. Here, we report a case of infantile fibromatosis of 4 month old boy involving the tongue.