Maxillofacial Diseases Research Articles

Current Applications, Opportunities, and Limitations of AI for 3D Imaging in Dental Research and Practice.

The increasing use of three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques in dental medicine has boosted the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems for various clinical problems. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and intraoral/facial scans are potential sources of image data to develop 3D image-based AI systems for automated diagnosis, treatment planning, and prediction of treatment outcome. This review focuses on current developments and performance of AI for 3D imaging in dentomaxillofacial radiology (DMFR) as well as intraoral and facial scanning. In DMFR, machine learning-based algorithms proposed in the literature focus on three main applications, including automated diagnosis of dental and maxillofacial diseases, localization of anatomical landmarks for orthodontic and orthognathic treatment planning, and general improvement of image quality. Automatic recognition of teeth and diagnosis of facial deformations using AI systems based on intraoral and facial scanning will very likely be a field of increased interest in the future. The review is aimed at providing dental practitioners and interested colleagues in healthcare with a comprehensive understanding of the current trend of AI developments in the field of 3D imaging in dental medicine.

Using Nonexpert Online Reports to Enhance Expert Knowledge About Causes of Death in Dental Offices Reported in Scientific Publications: Qualitative and Quantitative Content Analysis and Search Engine Analysis.

BackgroundFatalities rarely occur in dental offices. Implications for clinicians may be deduced from scientific publications and internet reports about deaths in dental offices.ObjectiveData involving deaths in dental facilities were analyzed using Google as well as the PubMed database. By comparing both sources, we examined how internet data may enhance knowledge about deaths in dental offices obtained from scientific medical publications, which causes of death are published online, and how associated life-threatening emergencies may be prevented.MethodsTo retrieve relevant information, we searched Google for country-specific incidents of death in dental practices using the following keywords: “death at the dentist,” “death in dental practice,” and “dying at the dentist.” For PubMed searches, the following keywords were used: “dentistry and mortality,” “death and dental treatment,” “dentistry and fatal outcome,” and “death and dentistry.” Deaths associated with dental treatment in a dental facility, attributable causes of death, and documented ages of the deceased were included in our analysis. Deaths occurring in maxillofacial surgery or pre-existing diseases involved in the death (eg, cancer and abscesses) were excluded. A total of 128 cases from online publications and 71 cases from PubMed publications that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed using chi-square statistics after exclusion of duplicates.ResultsThe comparison between the fatalities from internet (n=117) and PubMed (n=71) publications revealed that more casualties affecting minors appeared online than in PubMed literature (online 68/117, 58.1%; PubMed 20/71, 28%; P<.001). In PubMed articles, 10 fatalities in patients older than 70 years of age were described, while online sources published 5 fatalities (P=.02). Most deaths, both from internet publications and PubMed literature, could be assigned to the category anesthesia, medication, or sedation (online 80/117, 68.4%; PubMed 25/71, 35%; P<.001). Deaths assigned to the categories infection and cardiovascular system appeared more often in the PubMed literature (infection: online 10/117, 8.5%; PubMed 15/71, 21%; P=.01; cardiovascular system: online 5/117, 4.3%; PubMed 15/71, 21%; P<.001). Furthermore, sedative drugs were involved in a larger proportion of fatal incidents listed online compared to in PubMed (online 41/117, 35.0%; PubMed: 14/71, 20%, P=.03). In the United States, more deaths occurred under sedation (44/96, 46%) compared to those in the other countries (Germany and Austria 1/17, 6%, P=.002; United Kingdom 1/14, 7%, P=.006).ConclusionsOnline and PubMed databases may increase awareness of life-threatening risks for patients during dental treatment. Negative aspects of anesthesia and sedation, as well as the number of deaths of young patients, were underestimated when reviewing PubMed literature only. Medical history of patients, medication dosages, and vital function monitoring are significant issues for practitioners. A high-impact finding from online reports was the underestimation of risks when performing sedation and even general anesthesia. Detailed knowledge of the definition and understanding of deep sedation and general anesthesia by dentists is of major concern. By avoiding potentially hazardous procedures, such as sedation-aided treatments performed solely by dentists, the risk of treatment-induced life-threatening emergencies may be reduced.

Gingiva-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Potential Applications in Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases.

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with multilineage differentiation potential. They can be collected from bone marrow, fat, amniotic fluid, and teeth. Stem cell-based therapies have been widely used to treat multiple diseases, such as cardiac disease, and hematological disorders. The cells may also be beneficial for controlling the disease course and promoting tissue regeneration in oral and maxillofacial diseases. Oral-derived gingival mesenchymal stem cells are easy to access and the donor sites heal rapidly without a scar. Such characteristics demonstrate the beneficial role of GMSCs in oral and maxillofacial diseases. We summarize the features of GMSCs, including their self-renewal, multipotent differentiation, immunomodulation, and anti-inflammation properties. We also discuss their applications in oral and maxillofacial disease treatment and tissue regeneration. GMSCs are easily harvestable adult stem cells with outstanding proliferation, differentiation, and immunomodulation characteristics. A growing body of evidence indicates that GMSCs have strong potential use in accelerating wound healing and promoting the regeneration of bone defects, periodontium, oral neoplasms, salivary glands, peri-implantitis, and nerves. Moreover, alginate, polylactic acid and polycaprolactone can be used as biodegradable scaffolds for GMSC encapsulation. Various growth factors can be applied to the corresponding scaffolds to obtain the desired GMSC differentiation and phenotypes. Three-dimensional spheroid culture systems could optimize GMSC properties and improve the performance of the cells in tissue engineering. The immunomodulatory property of GMSCs in controlling oral and maxillofacial inflammation needs further research.

Preliminary Application of Kinesio Taping in Rehabilitation Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders

Background: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a frequently occurring and common oral and maxillofacial disease with relevant clinical issues (such as pain, clicking sound, and difficulty in opening the mouth). Kinesio taping (KT) is a typical soft tissue taping technique that plays a role in relieving pain, relaxing muscles, and increasing proprioception. Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the function of the KT technique in the rehabilitation of TMD. Methods: In this prospective study, 60 TMD patients (group I disorders, muscle disorders) were recruited from the outpatients of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of Shanghai First People’s Hospital, China, between June 2016 and September 2016 based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria. They were randomly divided into the control, short wave, and taping groups using a random number table, with 20 cases in each group. Different rehabilitation methods were applied according to the grouping. The course of treatment was six days. The estimations of the Fricton craniomandibular index (CMI), Self-Rating Anxiety scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression scale (SDS) were conducted in pretherapy and post-treatment by a physician who was blinded to the patients’ groups. Results: No significant differences were observed between patients in the three groups (P > 0.05) in pretherapy in the temporomandibular joint dysfunction index (DI), muscle palpation index (PI), CMI, SAS, and SDS. In post-treatment, the CMI in the short wave and taping groups was significantly improved compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The SAS in the taping group improved significantly compared to the control and short wave groups (P < 0.05). The SDS in the short wave group improved significantly compared to the control and taping groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Taken together, KT effectively improved the dysfunction and mood of TMD patients with the group I disorders, thereby necessitating further investigation for widespread application.

The range of pathological diagnoses of oral diseases in Jordan: An 11-year-retrospective study

Objectives: The objective of this study is to describe the pattern of oral and maxillofacial diseases in Jordan and to compare it with global trends.Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of pathology records in a major university hospital in Jordan was conducted. Age, gender, anatomical site, and pathological diagnosis were assessed.Results: A total of 1062 records were included. There were 525 (49.4%) females and 537 males (50.6%). The mean age of the study sample was 39 ± 18.7 years (range = 2–88 years). Nearly half of the lesions originated from the jaw bones (48.8%, n = 518), followed by oral mucosa (38.3%, n = 407), and gingivae (7.1%, n = 75). Cystic lesions were the most common type of pathologies (35.8%, n = 380), followed by reactive lesions (25.8, n = 274), and tumors (13.9%, n = 148). The most common individual pathologies were radicular cyst (19.8%, n = 210), followed by dentigerous cyst (11.3%, n = 120), and fibroepithelial polyp (8.8%, n = 93).Conclusion: Reactive and cystic lesions are the most common type of diseases encountered in the present study. The pattern of oral and maxillofacial diseases reported here is consistent with global trends.

Coexistence of hypertension and other variables in oral and maxillofacial clinic

Background: Hypertension is quite important in oral and maxillofacial settings as it may present as an emergency during treatment or may necessitate a modification in the patient's managementObjective: To determine the importance of routine blood pressure measurement and determine the relationship of hypertension with specific maxillofacial disease conditions.Subjects and methods: This was a prospective survey of patients who attended oral and maxillofacial clinic in University of Uyo Teaching hospital Uyo. A total of 116 patients who were found to have elevated blood pressure were assessed. An equal number of patients without elevated blood pressure was also assessed for comparison.Results: In those with hypertension, the age ranged between 18 and 77 years with a mean age of 40 ± 11.0 years. Females represented 38.79% (n = 45) and males 61.21% (n = 71) of the total study group. Prehypertension was present in 23.28% (n=27), while Stage 1 hypertension was present in 45.14% (n=57), and Stage 2 in 27.59% (n=32) of the patients. Odontalgia was recorded as the condition with the highest frequency of hypertension with 29.31% (34) closely followed by trigeminal neuralgia with 24.14% (28).Conclusion: The high prevalence of hypertension observed in this study without prior knowledge of the patients is worrisome considering the potential consequence during procedures. Also, some of the disease conditions particularly odontalgia and trigeminal neuralgic pains may have direct association with hypertension, although the one that preceded the other could not be determined from this study.

Osteoimmunology of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases: Translational Applications Based on Biological Mechanisms.

The maxillofacial skeleton is highly dynamic and requires a constant equilibrium between the bone resorption and bone formation. The field of osteoimmunology explores the interactions between bone metabolism and the immune response, providing a context to study the complex cellular and molecular networks involved in oro-maxillofacial osteolytic diseases. In this review, we present a framework for understanding the potential mechanisms underlying the immuno-pathobiology in etiologically-diverse diseases that affect the oral and maxillofacial region and share bone destruction as their common clinical outcome. These otherwise different pathologies share similar inflammatory pathways mediated by central cellular players, such as macrophages, T and B cells, that promote the differentiation and activation of osteoclasts, ineffective or insufficient bone apposition by osteoblasts, and the continuous production of osteoclastogenic signals by immune and local stromal cells. We also present the potential translational applications of this knowledge based on the biological mechanisms involved in the inflammation-induced bone destruction. Such applications can be the development of immune-based therapies that promote bone healing/regeneration, the identification of host-derived inflammatory/collagenolytic biomarkers as diagnostics tools, the assessment of links between oral and systemic diseases; and the characterization of genetic polymorphisms in immune or bone-related genes that will help diagnosis of susceptible individuals.

The Effect of Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound on Proliferation of Rat Condylar Cartilage Cells in Hypoxia Culture

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a common and frequently-occurring oral and maxillofacial disease. Restoration of the joint's cartilage and subchondral bone tissue is the key to treat TMD. Low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been proved to be effective in facilitating chondrocyte's proliferation, which inspired us to probe its treatment effect on TMD. With an isolated and hypoxic cultured mandibular condylar chondrocytes (MCC), we established a model for TMD. HIF-1α and VEGF's mRNA level was increased in hypoxic cultured MCC, which indicates our model simulated the cell's status caused by TMD pathology. When stimulated with LIIPUS at 45 mW/cm2, the MCC's apoptosis rate was inhibited and its proliferation was improved with best efficiency. Further experiment revealed that LIPUS restored MCC's Metalloproteinase's (MMP) up-regulation and collagen II's downregulation in hypoxic cultured MCC, respectively, which might be related to LIPUS's improvement effect on MCC.

Maxillofacial diseases prevalence among patients of working age living in the Republic of Tatarstan

The aim of the study was to analyze temporary disability cases among the patients suffering from maxillofacial diseases who were treated in dental medical centers over the 2007 to 2016 period. There were determined groups of incapacitating or disabling maxillofacial diseases among adults living in the Republic of Tatarstan: inflammatory (odontogenic and nonodontogenic), traumatic, benign and malignant neoplasms, secondary adentia as a result of tooth loss, as well as diseases associated with teeth eruption. The major part of temporary disability cases is due to odontogenic inflammatory maxillofacial diseases (66.1%), injuries (13.9%) and secondary adentia as a result of tooth loss (7.4%). Analysis revealed that there is a statistically significant difference in the structure of temporary disability cases in the pathology groups depending on gender, age and year of assessment.

Welcome to the Frontiers of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine

After painstaking work for over one and half years, we are honored to announce the launch of the Frontiers of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine ( Front Oral Maxillofac Med; FOMM ). The journal has strong support and an active involvement of our editorial members and has excellent investigators from biomedical research fields and clinical practice members who specialize in oral and maxillofacial diseases.

The dentist-scientist career pathway in Africa: opportunities and obstacles.

The future of evidence-based dentistry in developing Africa heavily depends on a sustainable establishment of a vibrant dentist-scientist workforce. A dentist scientist is saddled with the responsibility of carrying out robust cutting edge research projects that are inspired by clinical experience. Currently, there are no pipelines in place to systematically train such dentists, neither are there programs in place to allow trained African dentists choose such a career pathway. A dentist-scientist is a person who studied oral, dental, maxillofacial (or craniofacial) diseases, prevention, and population sciences (obtaining a medical degrees such as bachelor of dental surgery [BDS] or BChD) alone; or in combination with other advanced degrees such as doctor of dental surgery (DDS)/doctor of philosophy (PhD) or BDS/PhD. This situation has resulted in overdependence of African clinical practice on research findings from technologically advanced Western countries and a decline in clinical research capacity building. The career path of a dentist-scientist should involve research along the spectrum of basic biomedical sciences, translational, clinical and public health sciences. There are several factors responsible for the ultra-low count of dentist-scientist in the heterogeneous African communities such as: poor biomedical research infrastructure; lack of funding; absence of structured dentist scientist career pathways; lack of personnel, inter alia. Hence, this review hopes to discuss the opportunities of setting up a dentist-scientist training pathway in Africa (as obtains in most developed world settings), identify opportunities and prospects of developing an African dentist-scientist workforce, and finally discuss the challenges involved.

Evaluation of risk factors for oral infection with potential for spread in a 1-year cohort study.

To determine the frequency of oral infection with potential for spread (OIPS) and behavioural risk factors in patients referred to a regional tertiary care-centre for OIPS assessment and clearance. A database search of all referrals to the Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases unit of HUH in 2009 was performed. Of the 2807 referrals, 408 were due to a known or suspected OIPS. The electronic patient records of these patients were analysed for patient demographics, lifestyle factors, radiological findings and clinical oral findings. Risk factors for OIPS were analysed using logistic regression and using the significant factors in univariate analyses in the multivariate models. The mean age of the patients was 58years. Most patients (n = 270, 66%) were referred due to upcoming cancer or other immunosuppressive therapy. The majority (n = 314, 77%) were diagnosed with one or more OIPS. In univariate analyses, smoking (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.6-6.4; p = 0.0006), male gender (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.8; p = 0.02), excessive alcohol use (OR 3.0, 95% 1.1-7.9; p = 0.03) and irregular dental care (OR 4.8, 95% CI 2.6-8.8; p < 0.0001) were risk factors for OIPS. However, in multivariate analyses, smoking was the only independent risk factor for OIPS (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.2-11.8; p = 0.02). OIPS are common in patients referred for OIPS clearance, and smoking was identified as an independent behavioural risk factor for them. These findings highlight the burden of disease in this patient group and the importance of smoking cessation encouragement. To identify patients at increased risk of OIPS.

Role of lactoferrin and lactoferrin-derived peptides in oral and maxillofacial diseases.

The oral cavity harbors different taxonomic groups, the evolutionary coexistence of which develops the oral ecosystem. These resident microorganisms can alter the balance between the physiologic and pathologic conditions that affect the host, both locally and systemically. This highly sophisticated nature of the oral cavity poses a significant therapeutic challenge. Numerous human and animal studies have been conducted to potentiate the efficacy and competence of current treatments of pathologic conditions as well as to develop novel therapeutic modalities. One of these studies is the use of the potent antimicrobial agent lactoferrin (LF), which was originally derived from the host immune system. LF is an 80-kDa glycoprotein that has a free iron sequestration mechanism with evident antimicrobial, anti-tumor, and immunomodulatory properties. A wide range of active peptides have been isolated from the N-terminal region of LF, which possess antimicrobial activities. In this review, we discuss the role of LF and LF-derived peptides under a heterogeneous group of oral and maxillofacial conditions, including bacterial, fungal, viral infections; head and neck cancers; xerostomia; and implantology-bone-related manifestations.

Changes of cerebrospinal fluid in the upper neck area with age using diffusion weighted MR imaging

Purpose: Few studies have concerned the absolute apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the normal cerebrospinal fluid in the upper neck area and the effect of aging on diffusion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes of cerebrospinal fluid in the upper neck area with age using diffusion weighted MR imaging (DWI).Methods and methods: Our study included 160 patients who underwent MR imaging for oral and maxillofacial diseases. All patients were examined by DWI with 2 b values (0 and 800 sec/mm2) at 1.5 Tesla and ADC maps. The cerebrospinal fluid and spinal cord in the upper neck area were analyzed using the ADC values and age.Results: ADC value of cerebrospinal fluid was significantly correlated to ADC value of spinal cord (R2 = 0.141, p = .000). ADC value of spinal cord had no relation to age (R2 = 0.015, p = .125). ADC value of cerebrospinal fluid had significant relation to age (R2= 0.026, p = .042).Conclusions: We indicated the changes of cerebrospinal fluid in the upper neck area with age using DWI. The data reported herein are representative, and the ADC values can be used for reference in future studies and in clinical settings.

Usefulness of shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial diseases.

PurposeTo evaluate the usefulness of shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial diseases.Materials and MethodsTen patients with oral and maxillofacial diseases and 28 volunteers drawn from our student doctors were examined by shear wave elastography with a 14-MHz linear transducer using an Aplio 300 apparatus (Canon Medical Systems, Otawara, Japan). A statistical analysis of the shear elastic modulus (kPa) of healthy tissue (the sublingual gland, submandibular gland, anterior belly of the digastric muscle, and geniohyoid muscle) in the 28 volunteers was performed using 1-way repeated measures analysis of variance with the Tukey honest significant difference test. The maximum shear elastic modulus (kPa) of 8 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 2 patients with benign lesions was evaluated with the Mann-Whitney U test. The analysis used a 5% significance level.ResultsThe mean shear elastic modulus of the sublingual gland (9.4±3.7 kPa) was lower than that of the geniohyoid muscle (19.2±9.2 kPa, P=.000) and the anterior belly of the digastric muscle (15.3±6.1 kPa, P=.004). The maximum shear elastic modulus of the SCCs (109.6±14.4 kPa) was higher than that of the benign lesions (46.4±26.8 kPa, P=.044).ConclusionOur results demonstrated the usefulness of shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial diseases. Shear wave elastography has the potential to be an effective technique for the objective and quantitative diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial diseases.

ORAL and MAXILLOFACIAL PATHOLOGY IN DENTAL EDUCATION: A PERSPECTIVE

Specialization has become a fundamental characteristic of contemporary medical practice. The designation “Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology” has traditionally been referred to all pathologies of Oral and Maxillofacial region. It has also been an important bridging specialty between dentistry and medicine. Although we continue to work within the same set of constraints provided by the product of our current educational and training programs, it is time to reconsider this product for sustained growth in the specialty of oral and maxillofacial pathology. We must give thought to innovation within advanced education programs, which would build on the traditional strengths of surgical oral and maxillofacial pathology, and to a greater emphasis on science and academic accomplishment in the form of laboratory-based research. The potential overall contributions of the versatile oral and maxillofacial pathologist to the health care delivery system must be emphasized. Contributions could include active participation in direct patient care for those with oral disease within both the hospital environment and dental school setting. Management of oral and maxillofacial diseases and conditions by the oral and maxillofacial pathologist must also assume a greater level of importance, not just in dentistry but within the health care delivery system as well. The preservation and growth of oral and maxillofacial pathology requires greater emphasis on oral pathologist’s role and value within the educational community, the health care delivery system, and the research community. This paper highlights the new area and possible future scope for oral and maxillofacial pathology in dental healthcare system in India

Multidisciplinary Approach and Management for Maxillofacial Diseases in University Hospital

Multidisciplinary Approach and Management for Maxillofacial Diseases in University Hospital

Wegener Granulomatosis with Oral Involvement as Primary Manifestation: A Case Study

Introduction: Wegener Granulomatosis is a rare multisystemic disease with an unknown cause, characterized by necrotic granulomatous lesions in respiratory tract, systemic vasculitis in small arteries and veins and necrotizing glomerulonephritis. Wegener can affect any organ including kidneys, eyes or other organs but classically affects upper and lower respiratory tract. One of the rare but important signs of this disease is oral involvement, generally occurring in 6-13% of patients, however, oral involvement as the primary manifestation of disease, occurs in only 5-6% of cases. The most common oral manifestation is strawberry gingivitis. Patients: Our patient was a 35 year-old man with gingival bleeding during brushing which began approximately 45 days before referring to the department of oral and maxillofacial diseases, Mashhad Dental School. In intraoral examination, his gingiva had a papillomatous appearance and was purple in color (strawberry appearance). Due to the presence of strawberry appearance in absence of plaque, primary diagnosis of Wegener granulomatosis was established and the patient was referred for histopathological evaluation. In laboratory tests, C-ANCA was positive and P-ANCA was negative. Finally, diagnosis of Wegener granulomatosis was confirmed and his treatment was started. Rheumatologic condition of patient's lungs was evaluated by chest X-ray and CT-scan and blood tests, biochemistry tests and urine analysis were performed for the patient. He did not have pulmonary or renal involvement. In our study, the patient was followed up after 1, 2 and 11 months from the first visit. Discussion: Up to now, few reports have been published on Wegener disease with oral involvement and in most of these articles, Wegener was diagnosed after respiratory symptoms and kidney or other organs involvement. Only in few studies was Wegener diagnosis confirmed on the basis of oral symptoms and gingival involvement. Immediate and aggressive administration of immunotherapy treatments are required due to the fatal nature of the disease as the survival rate of patients with untreated WG is low and 90% of these patients die within 1 year after respiratory or kidney involvement .

High percentage of oral lichen planus and lichenoid lesion in oral squamous cell carcinomas

Objective: Oral lichen planus (OLP) and lichenoid lesions (OLL) are regarded as precursor lesions of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with potential for malignant transformation. This potential is not clear due to difficulties in diagnosis of OLP and OLL. Our aim was therefore to evaluate previously identified OLP and OLL as precursor lesions in OSCC and to identify cancer related etiological factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption.Material and methods: We retrospectively reviewed all cases (total 323, comprising 164 females and 159 males) with OSCC treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases and Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital during 2015. Confirmed by histopathological biopsy, 58 (17.9%) had OLP and 13 had OLL (4.0%) as precursor lesion.Results: Patients with OLP were slightly older than those without it. OLP was more common in females than in males (p < .0001). TN class 1 tumors were more prevalent among patients with OLP or OLL (p = .006) and cancer relapses less common (p = .005). Smoking was less frequent in patients with OLP and OLL (p < .0001). Also alcohol abuse was less frequent among these patients (p < .001).Conclusion: Our findings confirm the importance of active follow-up of all patients with OLP and OLL even in patients who do not fit a traditional high-risk category for OSCC.

Diagnostic applications of ultrasonography in maxillofacial region

Ultrasonography (USG) as an imaging modality in dentistry has been extensively explored in recent years due to several advantages that diagnostic ultrasound provides. Ultrasonography is a technique based on sound waves that acquires images in real time without the use of ionizing radiation. Ultrasonography is used as an imaging modality for diagnosing many maxillofacial diseases and disorders. It is an inexpensive, easy to use and non-invasive technique, thereby eliminating the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. The application of USG in diagnosing cervical lymph node metastasis, oral sub mucous fibrosis, soft tissue calcifications in carotid region, temporomandibular disorders and salivary gland pathology etc. has been explored in recent years. USG has a promising future as a diagnostic imaging aid in all specialties in dentistry. This review will enlighten the diagnostic applications of USG in maxillofacial region. Keywords: Ultrasonography, Diagnostic aid, Maxillofacial applications