OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine cephalometric factors that help predict favorable soft-tissue profile outcomes following treatment with the Class II Twin-block appliance. METHODS: Pre- and post-treatment lateral cephalograms of 45 patients treated with the Class II Twin-block appliance were retrospectively analyzed. Profile silhouettes were drawn from the cephalograms and evaluated by three orthodontists in order to determine the extent of improvement. Samples were divided into a favorable group (upper 30% of visual analogue scale [VAS] scores, n = 14) and an unfavorable group (lower 30% of VAS scores, n = 14). Skeletal and soft-tissue measurements were performed on the cephalograms and an intergroup comparison was conducted. RESULTS: An independent t-test revealed that the following pre-treatment values were lower in the favorable group compared to the unfavorable group: lower incisor to mandibular plane angle, lower incisor to pogonion distance, point A-nasion-point B angle, sella-nasion line (SN) to maxillary plane angle, SN to mandibular plane angle, gonial angle, and symphysis inclination. The favorable group had a larger incisor inclination to occlusal plane. Moreover, the favorable group showed larger post-treatment changes in gonial angle, B point projection, and pogonion projection than did the unfavorable group. CONCLUSIONS Class II malocclusion patients with a low divergent skeletal pattern and reduced lower incisor protrusions are likely to show more improvement in soft-tissue profile outcomes following Class II Twin-block treatment.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to compare the postoperative stability of conventional orthognathic surgery to a surgery-first orthognathic approach after bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 20 patients who underwent BSSRO for skeletal class III conventional orthognathic surgery and 20 patients who underwent a surgery-first orthognathic approach. Serial lateral cephalograms were analyzed to identify skeletal changes before surgery (T0), immediately after surgery (T1), and after surgery (T2, after 1 year or at debonding). RESULTS: The amount of relapse of the mandible in the conventional orthognathic surgery group from T1 to T2 was 2.23±0.92 mm (P<0.01) forward movement and −0.87±0.57 mm (non-significant, NS) upward movement on the basis of point B and 2.54±1.37 mm (P<0.01) forward movement and −1.18±0.79 mm (NS) upward movement on the basis of the pogonion (Pog) point. The relapse amount of the mandible in the surgery-first orthognathic approach group from T1 to T2 was 3.49±1.71 mm (P<0.01) forward movement and −1.78±0.81 mm (P<0.01) upward movement on the basis of the point B and 4.11±1.93 mm (P<0.01) forward movement and −2.40±0.98 mm (P<0.01) upward movement on the basis of the Pog. CONCLUSION: The greater horizontal and vertical relapse may appear because of counter-clockwise rotation of the mandible in surgery-first orthognathic approach. Therefore, careful planning and skeletal stability should be considered in orthognathic surgery.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Humans ; Mandible ; Orthognathic Surgery* ; Osteotomy, Sagittal Split Ramus* ; Prognathism ; Recurrence

Skeletal anchorage-assisted upper molar distalization has become one of the standard treatment modalities for the correction of Class II malocclusion. The purpose of this study was to analyze maxillary molar movement patterns according to appliance design, with the simultaneous use of buccal fixed orthodontic appliances. The authors devised two distinct types of midpalatal miniscrew-assisted maxillary molar distalizers, a lingual arch type and a pendulum type. Fourteen patients treated with one of the two types of distalizers were enrolled in the study, and the patterns of tooth movement associated with each type were compared. Pre- and post-treatment lateral cephalograms were analyzed. The lingual arch type was associated with relatively bodily upper molar distalization, while the pendulum type was associated with distal tipping with intrusion of the upper molar. Clinicians should be aware of the expected tooth movement associated with each appliance design. Further well designed studies with larger sample sizes are required.
Humans ; Malocclusion ; Molar* ; Orthodontic Appliances ; Sample Size ; Tooth Movement

BACKGROUND: Phospholipase C (PLC) plays an important role in cellular signal transduction and is thought to be critical in cellular growth, differentiation and transformation of certain malignancies. Two second messengers produced from the enzymatic action of PLC are diacylglycerol(DAG) and lnositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate(IP3). These two second messengers are important in down stream signal activation of protein kinase C and intracelluar calcium elevation. In addition, functional domains of the PLC isozymes, such as Src homology 2(SH2) domain, Src homology 3(SH3) domain, and pleckstrin homology(PH) domain play crucial roles in protein translocation, lipid membrane modification and intracellular memrane trafficking which occur during various mitogenic processes. We have previously reported the presence of PLC-γ1, γ2, β1, β3, and δ1 isozymes in normal human lung tissue and tyrosine-kinase-independent activation of phospholipase C-γisozymes by tau protein and AHNAK. We had also found that the expression of AHNAK protein was markedly increased in various histologic types of lung cancer tissues as compared to the normal lungs. However, the report concerning expression of various PLC isozymes in lung cancers and other lung diseases is lacking. Therefore, in this study we examined the expression of PLC isozymes in the paired surgical specimens taken from lung cancer patients. METHODS: Surgically resected lung cancer tissue samples taken from thirty seven patients and their paired normal control lungs from the same patients. The expression of various PLC isozymes were studied. Western bolt analysis of the tissue extracts for the PLC isozymes and immunohistochemistry was performed on typical samples for localization of the isozyme. RESULTS: In 16 of 18 squamous cell carcinomas, the expression of PLC-γ1 was increased. PLC-γ1 was also found to be increased in all of 15 adenocarcinoma patients. In most of the non-small cell lung cancer tissues we had examined, expression of PLC-δ1 was decreased. However, the expression of PLC-δ1 was markedly increased in 3 adenocarcinomas and 3 squamous carcinomas. Although the numbers were small, in all 4 cases of small cell lung cancer tissues, the expression of PLC-δ1 was nearly absent. CONCLUSION: We found increased expression of PLC-γ1 isozyme in lung cancer tissues. Results of this study, taken together with our earlier findings of AHNAK protein-a putative PLD-γ, activator-over-expression, and the changes observed in PLC-δ1 in primary human lung cancers may provide a possible insight into the derranged calcium-inositol signaling pathways leading to the lung malignancies.
Adenocarcinoma ; Calcium ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Isoenzymes* ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Membranes ; Phospholipases ; Protein Kinase C ; Protein Transport ; Rivers ; Second Messenger Systems ; Signal Transduction ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; tau Proteins ; Tissue Extracts ; Type C Phospholipases