PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical performance and survival rate of implant-supported zirconia-lithium disilicate (Zr-LiSi) bilayered ceramic prostheses over 3 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 71 patients, including 34 with implant-supported metal-ceramic prostheses (control group) and 37 with implant-supported Zr-LiSi bilayered ceramic prostheses (test group). The implant survival rate and incidence of prosthetic and biological complications (veneer fractures, dislodgement of screw-access hole filling material, screw loosening, peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis, and marginal bone loss) were investigated. The survival rate was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and the identity between two groups was confirmed by the log-rank test. RESULTS: Both groups showed a 100% survival rate, whereas the prosthetic survival rates were 77% and 73% for the metal-ceramic and Zr-LiSi groups, respectively. Biological complications did not appear in the metal-ceramic group, and 16.2% of peri-implant mucositis occurred in the Zr-LiSi group, which was significant (P < .05). Prosthetic complications occurred in 5.8% of the metal-ceramic group with veneer fractures and did not occur in the Zr-LiSi bilayered ceramic group. CONCLUSION This study revealed that posterior Zr-LiSi bilayered ceramic implant prostheses showed high survival rates and similar survival rates to metal-ceramic implant prostheses; however, additional consideration should be given to avoid overcontouring. Zr-LiSi bilayered ceramic implant prostheses may be an option for posterior implant-supported prosthetic treatment.

Objective: Extraction of the mandibular second molar (L7) and substitution by the mandibular third molar (L8) is an effective treatment option. This study aimed to evaluate spontaneously erupted L8 occlusion after L7 extraction, and identify the influencing factors. Methods: This study assessed 46 L8 from 28 patients using dental study models, panoramic radiographs, and lateral cephalograms obtained during L7 extraction (T1) and completion of L8 eruption (T2). At T2, samples were categorized as acceptable (A-group) or unacceptable (U-group) based on the American Board of Orthodontics index.L8 angulation and position, retromolar space, distance between the Xi point and mandibular first molar (L6), and Nolla stage were compared between the groups to identify the predictive factors for successful eruption. Results: At T2, 58.7% of L8 exhibited acceptable occlusion. Age at T1 was significantly higher in the U-group than that in the A-group. Angles ∠6-MnP and ∠8-MnP differed significantly between the groups at T2. Xi-L6 distance was considerably longer in the A-group than that in the U-group at T1 and T2. Younger age at extraction and Xi-L6 distance at T1 affected the acceptable occlusion. Conclusions Younger age at L7 extraction and adequate eruption space (Xi-L6 distance) appear to be the key factors for achieving acceptable L8 occlusion.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of impacted teeth (ITs) in orthodontic patients at university dental hospitals in Korea. Methods: This study included 14,774 patients who visited the Department of Orthodontics at 10 university dental hospitals in Korea between 2020 and 2022 and underwent orthodontic diagnosis. The prevalence and characteristics of ITs were investigated using orthodontic diagnostic records, radiographs, and diagnostic casts. Results: The prevalence of ITs, excluding third molar impaction, in Korean orthodontic patients was 13.6% (n = 2,014).The prevalence of ITs in pediatric orthodontic patients was 24.5% (n = 1,614).Of these patients, 68.2% had one IT, 27.5% had two ITs, 24.3% had bilateral IT, and 75.7% had unilateral IT. The most frequent IT was the maxillary canine (50.1%), followed by the mandibular second molar (11.7%), and maxillary second premolar (9.6%). An abnormal eruption path (46.5%) was the most frequent etiology. Orthodontic traction after surgical exposure (70.6%) was the most frequent treatment option. Among the patients with ITs, 29.8% had other dental anomalies, such as tooth agenesis (8.7%), microdontia (8.0%), and supernumerary teeth (5.1%). Furthermore, 50.8% had complications such as cystic lesions (18.3%), transposition (17.7%), and root resorption (14.8%).Among the patients with maxillary canine impaction, 62.2% had labial maxillary canine impaction and 21.1% had palatal maxillary canine impaction. Conclusions The prevalence of ITs in Korean orthodontic patients at university dental hospitals was high, particularly in pediatric orthodontic patients.

Background and Objectives: The risk profiles, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcomes for women undergoing bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined compared to those in men. Methods: COronary BIfurcation Stenting III (COBIS III) is a multicenter, real-world registry of 2,648 patients with bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents.We compared the angiographic and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes based on sex. The primary outcome was 5-year target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results: Women (n=635, 24%) were older, had hypertension and diabetes more often, and had smaller main vessel and side branch reference diameters than men. The pre- and post-PCI angiographic percentage diameter stenoses of the main vessel and side branch were comparable between women and men. There were no differences in procedural characteristics between the sexes. Women and men had a similar risk of TLF (6.3% vs. 7.1%, p=0.63) as well as its individual components and sex was not an independent predictor of TLF. This finding was consistent in the left main and 2 stenting subgroups. Conclusions In patients undergoing bifurcation PCI, sex was not an independent predictor of adverse outcome.

Background and Objectives: Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis.Nicotine, a crucial constituent of tobacco, contributes to atherosclerosis development and progression. However, evidence of the association between nicotine and neointima formation is limited. We aimed to evaluate whether nicotine enhances neointimal hyperplasia in the native epicardial coronary arteries of pigs after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES). Methods: After coronary angiography (CAG) and quantitative coronary angiography (QCA), we implanted 20 DES into 20 pigs allocated to 2 groups: no-nicotine (n=10) and nicotine (n=10) groups. Post-PCI CAG and QCA were performed immediately. Follow-up CAG, QCA, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and histopathological analyses were performed 2 months post-PCI. Results: Despite intergroup similarities in the baseline QCA findings, OCT analysis showed that the nicotine group had a smaller mean stent and lumen areas, a larger mean neointimal area, greater percent area stenosis, and higher peri-strut fibrin and inflammation scores than the no-nicotine group. In immunofluorescence analysis, the nicotine group displayed higher expression of CD68 and α-smooth muscle actin but lower CD31 expression than the no-nicotine group. Conclusions Nicotine inhibited re-endothelialization and promoted inflammation and NIH after PCI with DES in a porcine model.

Background and Objectives: Hearing loss significantly affects communication, psychosocial well-being, and quality of life. This study analyzes the National Health Insurance Service database to assess the trends and characteristics of hearing loss in South Korea from 2010 to 2020.Subjects and Method The database encompasses 97% of the Korean population, providing comprehensive data on medical history, prescriptions, and health examinations. The analysis used the World Health Organization’s ICD-10 definitions to categorize hearing loss types and examine their prevalence and incidence across various demographics over 11 years. Results: There was an overall annual increase of 4.62% in diagnosed cases of hearing loss, with the most significant rise among the elderly. The rate of increase accelerated from 3.32% between 2010 and 2014 to 6.49% between 2014 and 2020, corresponding with the improved hearing aid access facilitated by policy changes. Women showed a slightly higher increase than men. The data also indicated a consistent rise in abnormal hearing test results during health examinations, especially in older adults. Conclusion The study highlights an increasing trend in hearing loss diagnoses, driven by an aging population and enhanced detection facilitated by policy changes. These findings emphasize the need for continuous monitoring and targeted health policies to manage hearing loss effectively, offering valuable insights for global health management and policy development.

Background and Objectives: This study aims to analyze trends in hearing disability and the use of hearing rehabilitation devices (hearing aids and cochlear implants) in South Korea over the past 11 years (2010-2020) using data from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS).Subjects and Method Data were extracted from the NHIS database, covering approximately 97% of the South Korean population. Patients diagnosed with hearing loss were classified using ICD-10 codes. The data were analyzed to determine trends in hearing disability, hearing aid prescriptions, and cochlear implant usage by age, gender, and types and causes of hearing loss. Results: The number of hearing disability patients increased from 170900 in 2010 to 362738 in 2020, with an annual growth rate of 7.95%. The highest increase was observed in the ≥60 age group, with an annual growth rate of 11.04%. Hearing aid prescriptions rose from 4966 in 2010 to 11974 in 2020, showing a 10.45% annual increase. Females showed a higher growth rate in both hearing disability and hearing aid prescriptions compared to males. Cochlear implant prescriptions also increased, particularly among older adults. Conclusion The study highlights a significant rise in hearing disability and the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants in South Korea, especially among the elderly. The findings underscore the importance of early diagnosis and intervention for hearing loss and the need for policy improvements to enhance accessibility and affordability of hearing rehabilitation services. Additional strategies are needed to ensure appropriate hearing rehabilitation for those not yet receiving adequate care.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and safety of renal artery embolization (RAE) via transradial access (TRA) in patients with renal angiomyolipoma (AML) or renal hemorrhage. Materials and Methods: Data were collected for this prospective single-center study from 50 patients (51 ± 12 years; male:female, 11:39) who underwent RAE for renal AML (n = 46) or renal hemorrhage (n = 4) between November 2020 and January 2024. Patients with a Barbeau D waveform or a radial artery diameter of <1.5 mm were excluded. Technical success in patients with renal AML and renal hemorrhage was defined as achieving selective catheterization of the culprit artery with embolization, leading to flow stasis and the absence of bleeding evidence, respectively. Clinical success was indicated by a reduction in AML size on follow-up CT scans and the absence of bleeding signs without necessitating additional RAE. The EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-level (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire was utilized to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Results: In one patient with AML, embolization could not be performed following selective catheterization and angiography due to the lack of visible tumor vascularity, resulting in a technical success rate of 98% (49/50). The clinical success rate was 96% (48/50 patients). No instances of TRA failure, conversion to transfemoral access (TFA), or hemostasis failure were noted.During the follow-up period, no major adverse events associated with the RAE occurred. Two patients exhibited asymptomatic radial artery occlusion, and one patient displayed asymptomatic partial thrombosis of the renal artery at the first follow-up visit. The EQ-5D-5L scores were 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.86–0.95) within 24 hours post-procedure and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.85–0.92) at the first follow-up (P = 0.332). Conclusion TRA is a feasible and safe approach for performing RAE in patients with renal AML or hemorrhage. RAE performed using TRA demonstrated high HRQoL outcomes and may serve as a viable alternative to TFA for performing RAE.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive treatment modality used as an alternative to surgery in patients with benign thyroid nodules, recurrent thyroid cancers (RTCs), and primary thyroid microcarcinomas. The Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology (KSThR) initially developed recommendations for the optimal use of RFA for thyroid tumors in 2009 and revised them in 2012 and 2017. As new meaningful evidence has accumulated since 2017 and in response to a growing global interest in the use of RFA for treating malignant thyroid lesions, the task force committee members of the KSThR decided to update the guidelines on the use of RFA for the management of RTCs based on a comprehensive analysis of current literature and expert consensus.

This report presents radiologic changes after clinical improvement in a patient with acute interstitial nephritis (AIN). A 45-year-old female patient was referred for decreased renal function. Eight months prior, she had undergone hysterectomy and received chemotherapy. At the start of chemotherapy, her baseline creatinine level was 0.55 mg/dL, which rose to 1.46 mg/dL. Multiple imaging modalities performed when decreased renal function was observed revealed bilateral renal enlargement with increased cortical attenuation on computed tomography (CT), cortical hyperechogenicity on ultrasonography, and diffusion restriction in the renal cortices on magnetic resonance imaging. A renal biopsy was performed, and AIN was diagnosed. Follow-up laboratory tests showed that kidney function had improved to normal levels, and CT at that time showed a reduction in the size of both kidneys. Radiologic changes can serve as clues for the diagnosis of AIN. This is the first report to confirm radiological changes after the clinical improvement of AIN, thereby providing novel information about the course of AIN.