Evaluation of a Postanesthetic Palatal Ulceration with an Autofluorescence Screening Method: A Case Report and a Brief Literature Review

Abstract

The use of local anesthesia applications in dentistry is a well-established and reliable practice. However, complications such as ulceration, necrosis, and mucosa sloughing may occur due to the firm and dense structure of the palatal mucosa after anesthesia. These complications may lead to a misdiagnosis of oral cancer. This case report aims to evaluate the suspicious lesion that developed after local anesthesia in a 45-year-old female patient who presented to the dental clinic with acute pulpitis pain using the VELscope® (Visually Enhanced Lesion Scope) autofluorescence screening method. Autofluorescence screening can be used as an adjunctive method as it is a simple, inexpensive and non-invasive complementary examination method. Although its specificity is controversial, it has a high sensitivity value, so it can be useful in evaluating suspicious lesions during intraoral examination.

Keywords

• autofluorescence
• VELscope
• ulceration
• squamous cell carcinoma

Postanestezik Palatal Ülserasyonunun Otofloresan Görüntüleme Yöntemi ile Değerlendirilmesi: Bir Olgu Sunumu ve Kısa Bir Literatür Taraması

Abstract

Diş hekimliğinde lokal anestezi uygulamaları yaygın ve güvenilir uygulamalardır. Ancak palatinal mukozanın sıkı ve yoğun yapısı nedeniyle anestezi sonrası bazen ülserasyon, nekroz ve mukoza dökülmesi gibi komplikasyonlar ortaya çıkabilmektedir. Bu komplikasyonlar ağız kanseri olarak yanlış teşhis konulmasına sebep olabilir. Bu olgu sunumunda, akut pulpitis ağrısıyla diş hekimi kliniğine başvuran 45 yaşındaki kadın hastada, lokal anestezi sonrası gelişen şüpheli lezyonun, VELscope® otofloresan inceleme yöntemi ile değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Otofloresans görüntüleme basit, uygun maliyetli ve non-invaziv bir yardımcı inceleme yöntemidir. Spesifikliği tartışmalı olsa da duyarlılık değeri yüksek olduğundan ağız içi muayene sırasında şüpheli lezyonların değerlendirilmesinde faydalı olabilmektedir.

Keywords

• otofloresan
• VELscope
• ülserasyon
• skuamöz hücreli karsinom

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