title: Electronic thermography for the assessment of inferior alveolar nerve deficit.
abstract: Neurosensory deficit is one of the major complications encountered in oral and maxillofacial surgery. OBJECTIVES. To determine the efficacy of electronic thermography in objectively assessing neurosensory deficits of the inferior alveolar nerve. STUDY DESIGN. Three studies were conducted measuring skin temperature over the chin region of the face at 0.1 degree C accuracy. RESULTS. (1) Thermal symmetry of the chin region in normal subjects (delta T = 0.2 degree C, SD = 0.02 degree C); (2) Induction of transient thermal asymmetry by local anesthetic injection (delta T = +0.4 degree C, SD = 0.2 degree C); (3) nine subjects with neurologic alterations of the inferior alveolar nerve (delta T = +0.5 degree C, SD = 0.2 degree C). Statistically significant differences were found between control group and experimental groups at p < 0.001 with the use of the Student's t test. CONCLUSIONS. These studies indicate that electronic thermography is capable of detecting sensory changes caused by inferior alveolar nerve injury or by pharmacologic nerve block.
authors.affiliation: Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, UCLA School of Dentistry, USA.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Gratt
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saiar
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sickles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002680:Chin; D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013817:Thermography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D061221:Trigeminal Nerve Injuries