The completely edentulous patient has few treatment options in conventional dentistry. When implants are considered, treatment plans range from a 2-implant overdenture to a completely implant-supported prosthesis. Fixed prosthesis is often the preferred selection of the edentulous patient. fixed full-arch ceramo-metal restorations can be a predictable implant treatment modality for the edentulous patient. Implant-supported fixed prosthesis has several advantages: predictability, fixedness, retrievability, improved function, lower maintenance of prosthesis, long-term published success. Edentulous patients with a severely resorbed mandible often experience problems with their dentures. Treatment concepts involving two to four implants for the support of an overdenture have been proposed. There seems to be no need to insert more than two endosteal implants to support an overdenture, however, long-term prospective studies are needed to support this notion. Using short endosseous implants and an overdenture in the extremely resorbed mandible is a justified treatment option because of the relative simplicity and low morbidity of this treatment strategy. Implant-supported overdenture has several advantages: Cost, retrievability, hygiene access, profile and contour control, increasedretention and stability, implant installed in a predicted region(ant. mandible).
Dental Implants* ; Dentistry ; Denture, Overlay ; Dentures ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Mandible ; Prostheses and Implants

A total of 35 strains of Shigella sonnei, 21 strains isolated in South Korea from 2000 to 2001 and 14 strains isolated in Japan from 2001 and 2002 were analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibility, plasmid profile and molecular epidemiology. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, the strains were tested for the presence of virulence genes. And then reversed passive latex agglutination(RPLA) test was used to determine if the strain was Shiga-toxin producing. Their random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) patterns were examined. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns were also analyzed. Most strains showed multiple resistance to more than four antimicrobial agents, i.e., tetracycline, erythromycin, streptomycin and vancomycin. All South Korea strains were susceptible to chloramphenicol and gentamicin, while all Japan strains were susceptible to kanamycin and cefoperazone. The antibiogram could be classified into 6 groups. By PCR, ipaH gene was detected from all strains, but set1A and set1B genes were not. Sen and ial genes were detected from 19 strains (54.3 %). Especially, stx gene was positive in 11 of the 35 strains by PCR method but not confirmed by RPLA method. The strains were differentiated into 12 groups by plasmid profile and 6 arbitrary groups (a to f) by RAPD analysis. The isolates could be grouped into 5 (A to E) PFGE patterns including 3 subgroups A-1, A-2 and A-3. Type A was the major type (82.9 %).
Anti-Infective Agents ; Cefoperazone ; Chloramphenicol ; DNA ; Drug Resistance, Microbial* ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Erythromycin ; Gentamicins ; Japan* ; Kanamycin ; Korea* ; Latex ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Shigella sonnei* ; Shigella* ; Streptomycin ; Tetracycline ; Vancomycin ; Virulence

STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS: The precision of fit between the bearing surfaces of implant abutments and the prosthesis framework has been considered fundamental to implant prosthodontic protocol. PURPOSE: The study aimed to investigate the effect of laboratory procedure on the dimensional accuracy of cast implant bars. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty implant bars were fabricated on a metal master model. The gap distances were measured at the right implant abutment replica-gold cylinder interface after casting procedure. The bar length data of precasting and postcasting state were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean gap distance found after casting was 106.3 micrometer for buccal side, 122.1 micrometer for distal side and 117.1 micrometer for the lingual side. The mean bar length was 17964.7 micrometer at precasting measurement, 17891.6 micrometer at postcasting measurement. The mean change of bar length was - 73.1 micrometer. CONCLUSION: Even though the techniques used in this study strictly followed the guidelines established in the literature, the 30 cast implant bars evaluated all yielded gap distances that were beyond acceptable accuracy. There was a statistically significant difference between precasting and postcasting bar length (P<0.01). There was a decreasing tendency in bar length after casting procedure. It was necessary to correct this dimensional change from laboratory procedure by some corrective methods.
Prostheses and Implants ; Prosthodontics

BACKGROUND: Automated systems are used widely for pre-transfusion tests in blood banks, in an attempt to reduce effort and human error. We evaluated the clinical performance of an automated blood bank system, ORTHO VISION (Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Switzerland), for blood cross-matching. METHODS: Saline cross-matching was performed for 93 tests using 56 samples. Coombs cross-matching was performed for 400 tests using 166 samples. Saline cross-matching was compared for the automated ORTHO VISION and manual tube methods. Coombs cross-matching was compared for the automated ORTHO VISION and manual column agglutination technique (CAT) methods. The evaluation of 32 antibody-positive samples using the automated ORTHO VISION and manual CAT methods was compared by performing 97 cross-matching tests. Additionally, the ORTHO VISION efficiency and carryover were evaluated. RESULTS: The concordance rate of the saline cross-matching results between the manual method and automated ORTHO VISION was 100%. The concordance rate of coombs cross-matching results between manual CAT and automated ORTHO VISION was 97.9%. The concordance rate of cross-matching for antibody positive samples between manual CAT and the automated ORTHO VISION was 97.9%. Coombs cross-matching was efficient using ORTHO VISION, whereas saline cross-matching was efficient using the tube manual method. CONCLUSIONS: ORTHO VISION showed reliable results for cross-matching and was more efficient than manual CAT for coombs cross-matching. Thus, ORTHO VISION can be used for pre-transfusion tests in blood banks.
Agglutination ; Animals ; Automation ; Blood Banks ; Cats ; Humans ; Methods

A 67-year-old male patient with a history of epididymectomy and anti-tuberculosis treatment for epididymis tuberculosis was admitted for acute low back pain and radiating pain. The patient had no history of gout but showed hyperuricemia and a bone destruction lesion in the facet joint and lamina of the lumbar spine. A histology examination was performed after a computed tomography-guided needle biopsy, and the findings were compatible with gout spondyloarthropathy and tuberculous spondylitis. The acute symptoms improved after conservative treatment for gouty arthritis. When patients with hyperuricemia risk factors, such as taking anti-tuberculosis drugs, complain of acute low back pain, gout spondyloarthropathy should be considered in a differential diagnosis.

Background: To compare the risk of low back pain (LBP) and related spinal diseases between smokers (exposure group) and nonsmokers (non-exposure group). No large registry study has so far investigated the association between smoking and LBP-related spinal diseases such as intervertebral disc disease, spinal stenosis, spinal instability, and spondylolisthesis. Methods: A random sample was taken from the Korean National Health Insurance Research Database. In total, 204,066 men (160,105 smokers, 43,961 nonsmokers) who were followed up between 2002 and 2013 were included in the analysis. Patients with previous back pain or spinal disease in 2003 and 2004, patients with inappropriate data, and women (due to the lower percentage of smokers) were excluded. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to investigate the risk of LBP and related spinal diseases associated with smoking, while adjusting for demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic factors. Results: The overall median follow-up period was 5.6 years (interquartile range, 3.48–8.43 years). Compared to the nonsmoker group, the smoker group had a higher incidence of LBP (p = 0.01), intervertebral disc disease (p < 0.001), spinal stenosis (p = 0.004), spinal instability (p < 0.001), and spondylolisthesis (p = 0.023). Compared to the nonsmoker group, the smoker group had a higher adjusted hazard ratio (HR) per year of LBP (HR, 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15 to 1.21), intervertebral disc disease (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.21 to 1.30), spinal stenosis (HR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.41 to 1.64), spinal instability (HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.24 to 1.44), and spondylolisthesis (HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.80). Conclusions Smokers in male samples were at higher risk for LBP and related spinal diseases than nonsmokers.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of three techniques for correction of cast implant bars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty cast implant bars were fabricated on a metal master model. All cast implant bars were sectioned at 5 mm from the left gold cylinder using a disk of 0.3 mm thickness, and then each group of ten specimens was corrected by gas-air torch soldering, laser welding, and additional casting technique. Three dimensional evaluation including horizontal, vertical, and twisting measurements was based on measurement and comparison of (1) gap distances of the right abutment replica-gold cylinder interface at buccal, distal, lingual side, (2) changes of bar length, and (3) axis angle changes of the right gold cylinders at the step of the post-correction measurements on the three groups with a contact and non-contact coordinate measuring machine. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t-test were performed at the significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Gap distances of the cast implant bars after correction procedure showed no statistically significant difference among groups. Changes in bar length between pre-casting and post-correction measurement were statistically significance among groups. Axis angle changes of the right gold cylinders were not statistically significance among groups. CONCLUSION: There was no statistical significance among three techniques in horizontal, vertical and axial errors. But, gas-air torch soldering technique showed the most consistent and accurate trend in the correction of implant bar error. However, Laser welding technique, showed a large mean and standard deviation in vertical and twisting measurement and might be technique-sensitive method.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Welding

OBJECTIVE: To assess prosthetic use by upper extremity amputees, and their difficulties with prostheses in activities of daily living and occupations. METHOD: This study is based on a survey of 307 subjects, who were using prostheses manufactured in the Center of Prosthetics and Orthotics. The survey questionnaire included items about general demographic characteristics, side and level of amputation, type of prosthesis and its use, and difficulties in the activities of daily living, employment and driving. RESULTS: The most common type of prosthesis was the cosmetic hand type (80.2%). There were no statistically significant correlations between satisfaction with prosthesis and the amputation level or type of prosthesis. The most common difficulties in daily living activities experienced by amputees were lacing shoes, removing bottle-tops with a bottle opener, and using scissors. Only 7.3% of amputees received rehabilitation services. Less than half of the amputees (44.7%) used their prostheses for eight or more hours a day, and 76.9% used their prostheses for regular or irregular cosmetic purposes. After amputation, most of the respondents (69.0%) became unemployed or changed workplaces. CONCLUSION: In our study, respondents preferred cosmetic usage to functional usage. Only 30.0% of respondents reported satisfaction with their prostheses. Many of the amputees had difficulties in complex tasks and either changed jobs or became unemployed. Clerical workers were the occupation group, which was most likely to return to work. The development of a more functional prosthetic hand and additional rehabilitation services are required.
Activities of Daily Living ; Amputation ; Amputees ; Cosmetics ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Employment ; Hand ; Humans ; Occupations ; Prostheses and Implants ; Return to Work ; Shoes ; Upper Extremity ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Allergic disease and its comorbidities significantly influence the quality of life. Although the comorbidities of allergic diseases are well described in adult populations, little is known about them in preschool children. In the present study, we aimed to assess the prevalence and comorbidity of allergic diseases in Korean preschool children. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study comprising 615 Korean children (age, 3 to 6 years). Symptoms of allergic diseases were assessed using the Korean version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire that was modified for preschool children. Comorbidities of allergic diseases were assessed by 'In the last 12 months, has your child had symptoms?'. RESULTS: The prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis as recorded using the ISAAC questionnaire, within the last 12 months was 13.8%, 40.7%, and 20.8%, respectively. The symptom rates of allergic conjunctivitis, food allergy, and drug allergy were 14.8%, 10.4%, and 0.8%, respectively. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis in children with asthma was 64.3% and that of asthma in children with allergic rhinitis was 21.6%. The prevalence of rhinitis in children with conjunctivitis was 64.8% and that of conjunctivitis in children with rhinitis was 23.6%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of current rhinitis in our preschool children is shown to be higher than that previously reported. Allergic conjunctivitis is closely associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis. However, further studies are warranted to determine the prevalence and effects of these comorbidities on health outcomes in preschool children.
Adult ; Asthma ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Comorbidity ; Conjunctivitis ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial