Purpose: The goal of this research is to find the role of collagen membrane, which can reduce physical damage, as a scaffold for possible alternative to the corticotomy which causes Regional Acceleratory Phenomenon (RAP). Materials and Methods: The experiments were carried out on 12 New Zealand white rabbits, approximately 3.5 kg in bodyweight. We made an incision on the skin of the mandibular border and applied 37% phosphoric acid and collagen membrane to the mandibular bone surface of the first group (experimental group), and only phosphoric acid to the second group (control group). After 3 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks, 4 rabbits each were sacrificed and specimens were obtained. Each specimen was stained by H&E and Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), and histological changes were observed by light microscope. Results: The demineralization of the experimental group was weak compared to the control group. It also showed a gradual increase of demineralization (after 3 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks) and the control group showed more extensive demineralization than the experimental group. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the amount of demineralization as a result of using phosphoric acid, and as time went by, demineralization increased. The absorbable collagen membrane was used as a scaffold to increase bone demineralization effect and prevent dispersion to adjacent tissues, but rather the amount of bone demineralization decreased. Therefore, the role of collagen membrane as a scaffold for RAP was weak.

Purpose: For aesthetic reasons, composite resin brackets are widely used. However, related studies are rare. This pilot study sought to compare the stress distributions in two commercially available composite resin brackets with metal slot. Materials and Methods: Two commercially available resin brackets -- full-metal slot resin bracket (fSRB) and partial-metal slot resin bracket (pSRB) with straight wire appliance dimension of $0.022{\times}0.028$ in -- were selected. In each bracket, 3-dimensional finite element models were constructed, and stress level was evaluated using finite element analysis. By loading the tipping force and torsion moment, which are similar to those applied by the stainless steel rectangular wire ($0.019{\times}0.025$ -in), stress distributions were calculated, and von Mises stress values were obtained. Results: In pSRB and fSRB, the stress value of the torque moment was much higher than that of the tipping force. The pSRB showed higher stress value than fSRB in both tipping force and torque moment because of the difference in size and configuration of the metal frame inserted into the slot. More stress was also found to be concentrated on the slot area than the wing area in fSRB. Conclusion: The slot form of fSRB was found to be more resistant to the stress of tipping and torque than the slot form of pSRB. In addition, the slot areas -- rather than the wing areas -- of the bracket showed breakage susceptibility. Therefore, resistance to the torque moment on the slot area should be considered in bracket design.

Purpose: Modifications of implant design have been related to improving initial stability. The purpose of this study was to investigate their respective effect on initial stability between two tapered implant systems (self-tapping vs. non-self-tapping) in medium density bone using three different analytic methods. Materials and Methods: Self-tapping implant (GS III$^{(R)}$; Osstem Implant Co., Busan, Korea) and non-self-tapping implant (Replace Select$^{(R)}$; Nobel Biocare, G$\H{o}$teborg, Sweden) were investigated. In Solid rigid polyurethane blocks of artificially simulated Quality 2 bone, each of the 5 implants was inserted according to the manufacturer's instructions for medium-bone drilling protocol. Evaluation of initial stability was carried out by recording the maximum insertion torque (IT) and performing the resonance frequency analysis (RFA), and the pull-out test. Results: The IT and RFA values of self-tapping implant were significantly higher than those of non self-tapping implant (P=.009 and P=.047, respectively). In the pull-out values, no significant differences were found in implants between two groups (P=.117). Within each implant system, no statistically significant correlation was found among three different outcome variables. Conclusions: These findings suggest that design characteristics of implant geometry significantly influence the initial stability in medium bone density.

Purpose: This research sought to determine the resorption rate of bone grafted to the maxillary sinus according to the grafted material's type, patient's age, systemic disease, implant size, site of implant placement, and residual ridge height. Materials and Methods: This research targeted 24 patients who had immediate Osstem$^{(R)}$ implant (US Plus$^{(R)}$) placement after bone graft. The panorama was taken before the surgery, after the surgery, and 6 months after the surgery. Vertical height change and resorption rate of the grafted bone were measured with the same X-rays and compared. The influence of the following factors on the grafted bone material's resorption rate was evaluated: grafted material type, patient's age, systemic disease, implant size, site of implant placement, and residual ridge height. Results: Patients in their 40s had $34.0{\pm}21.1%$ resorption rate, which was significantly higher compared to the other age groups (P<0.05). There was no significant relationship between systemic disease and grafted bone resorption. There was no significant relationship between implant size (diameter, length) and grafted bone resorption. There was no significant relationship between the site of implant placement and grafted bone resorption. The ramal bone-grafted site was significantly more resorbed than the ramal bone/Bio-Oss$^{(R)}$-grafted site, maxillary tuberosity bone/Bio-Oss$^{(R)}$-grafted site, and ramal bone/maxillary tuberosity bone/Bio-Oss$^{(R)}$-grafted site (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the grafted bone resorption rate in the sinus between more than 4 mm and less than 4 mm residual ridge heights. After an average of 6 months, a second surgery was done; given an average follow-up of 1.9 years, the success rate and survival rate of the implant were 96.9% and 98.4%, respectively. Conclusion: These results indicate that the bone resorption rate of grafted bone among patients in their 40s is higher compared to patients in their 50s and over, and that only autogenous bone (ramus) shows higher resorption rate than the mixed graft of autogenous bone and xenogenous graft (Bio-oss) after maxillary sinus graft.

Purpose: This study sought to evaluate the effects of bone graft wedging on the initial stability of implants in bone sites of unfavorable quality. Materials and Methods: Three male beagle dogs were used in this study. Osteotomies were performed with parallel drills (${\O}4.1{\times}10mm$), and fixtures (${\O}3.3{\times}8mm$) were placed. The control group was given implants without bone graft. Experiment group A was given implants with minimal initial stability using autobone grafts, whereas experiment group B was given xenografts. Groups were also divided by healing times at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Results: All implants in the control group failed to osseointegrate. On the other hand, all implants in the experiment groups were clinically well-maintained during the entire experiment period. After 4, 8, and 12 weeks, bone-to-implant contact (BIC) ratio and implant stability quotient (ISQ) increased in the experiment groups. The differences between experiment groups A and B were not statistically significant, however. Conclusion: In unfavorable bone regions for dental implants, bone graft packing into the osteotomy prior to implant placement secured minimal initial stability and showed reasonable BIC ratios and ISQ values throughout the study period.

Purpose: $HCO_3{^-}$ is the most important ion to buffer the acidity of saliva. The transport of $HCO_3{^-}$ is mediated by electrogenic $Na^+/HCO_3{^-}$ cotransporter 1 (NBCe1), which expressed in various tissues including salivary glands, kidney and pancreas, etc. This experiment was performed to investigate regulatory site of NBCe1involved in the pH regulation using various mutants of NBCe1. Materials and Methods: Human parotid gland NBCe1 (hpNBCe1) and mutants by deletion of 1~285 bp and 1~1,035 bp were prepared. After microinjection of each cRNA to oocytes of Xenopus laevis, they were incubated for 2~3 days. The function of each protein was tested by electrophysiological method. Results: When oocytes were exposed to the $HCO_3{^-}$ buffered solution, 1~285 bp deleted mutant hpNBCe1 evoked a marked hyperpolarization ranging from -90 mV to -160 mV (average: -134 mV; n=12) compared to the full length of hpNBCe1. Although 1~1,035 bp deleted mutant hpNBCe1 was also expressed in the plasma membrane, but it did not show any changes of membrane potentials. Conclusion: Our deletion mutant study demonstrated that 1~285 bp of the NBCe1 is the major domain to determine $HCO_3{^-}$ transport ratio.

The extracted right mandibular third molar of a 37-year-old man was transplanted into the first molar area, and a bone graft procedure using autogenous tooth-bone graft material was performed for the space between the root and the alveolar socket. Reattachment was achieved after 10 months. Therefore, autogenous tooth-bone graft material is considered reasonable for bone induction and healing in the autotransplantation of teeth.

Some treatment methods have been proposed for patients with chronic closed lock of temporomandibular joint. We report a conservative treatment for patients who had chronic closed lock of temporomandibular joint and who did not want surgical treatment. Two patients who had been treated in the Template clinic, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, are the subjects of this report. The subjects had chronic closed lock symptom for over 3 months after an onset of locking; conventional therapies had no effect. The subjects were treated by making them wear a Template appliance while sleeping and exercise for 10 hours a day. After periodic follow-up, significant improvement was observed for Template treatment in terms of the maximal mouth opening range. When conventional therapy is expected to be ineffective, The Template appliance can be used as conservative treatment for temporomandibular disorders patients with chronic closed lock of temporomandibular joint.