• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.281-293
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• 2021

Patients who went through maxillectomy can have severely impaired swallowing, mastication, and pronunciation functions because of palatal defects. Leakage occurs through the nasal cavity while eating, chewing becomes difficult due to the loss of teeth and alveolar ridges, and oral and nasal passages are not separated, leading to hyper-nasal sound, and significantly reducing the quality of life. To prosthetically reconstruct the defect, the weight of the obturator should be reduced as much as possible to minimize dropout because of gravity, and the bulb of the obturator should be properly extended into the defect to get additional retention and stability. In this case of a partially edentulous patient who underwent additional maxillary resection because of tumor recurrence, a metal framework was designed by applying the basic design principles of removable partial dentures. An obturator with improved retention, stability, and support was fabricated through functional impressions. The patient was satisfied with the improved facial expression, mastication, swallowing, and pronunciation, and showed stable occlusion and oral hygiene management during the follow-up period.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.365-377
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• 2012

Objectives : This research was conducted to determine the effect of the Visiting Oral Health Care Program by examining the oral health of the elderly women, who are the beneficiaries of this Visiting Oral Care Program. Methods : This research was conducted from November of 2011 to February of 2012, in Chilgok-gun in the Kyeongbuk Province, South Korea. One hundred and twenty five (125) elderly women among the beneficiaries of the Visiting Oral Care Program within the area were randomly selected for the research. The research subjects would regularly visit the area senior citizen center, and they were divided into two groups, with 64 of them belonging to a control group, and the rest (61 people) belonged to a intervention group. The research subjects were examined for their dental health condition, and we investigated the effect of the Visiting Oral Care Program through this research. Results : 1. When they were asked about how many times they wash their dentures, the majority of the control group, 57.4% of them answered that they do it "once" a day. The majority of the intervention group answered "more than 3 times", with 35.2% of group mentioning that they wash their dentures more than 3 times a day(p<.001). 2. When the research subjects were asked to scale their overall quality of life before and after the Visiting Oral Care Program, the control group had rated 49.3 before the Service and 56.8 after the Service (p<.01), and scores for the individual factors to determine the overall quality of life has significantly improved as well (p<.01, p<.01, p<.01, p<.01, p<.01, p<.01, p<.01). 3. The oral hygiene condition after the Visiting Oral Care Program has shown improvement as well. The control group scored 64.2 for the severity of the symptoms of dental plaque before the dental care, and scored 46.8 after the dental care (p<0.1). The control group was diagnosed for the symptoms of coated tongue, and the severity of the symptoms were scaled as 3.7 before the Program and 2.0 after the Program (p<.01). Furthermore, the overall functionality of the oral cavity was improved as well. The control group showed 1.0 time increase in repetitive voluntary swallowing test (p<0.1), increased amount of sublingual saliva from 0.8mm to 1.4mm, and from 1.6mm to 2.0mm in dorsum linguae(p<0.1). Also, the control group showed an improvement in mouth opening as well, increased from 3.9 to 4.0cm after the oral care program (p<.05). When compared the result with the examination after the Visiting Oral Care Program, the two groups showed a significant difference with the control group showing a significant improvement compared to the intervention group(p<.01, p<.01, p<.01, p<.01, p<.05). 4. The correlation between the dental hygiene condition and the functionality of oral was made for the result of examining the beneficiaries for Visiting Oral Care Program. The amount of saliva showed a negative correlation with the severity of dental plaque (p<.05), and a positive correlation with the repetitive voluntary swallowing count (p<0.1). Also, mouth opening showed a positive correlation with repetitive voluntary swallowing count (p<.05). Conclusions : After the Visiting Orall Care Program, the beneficiaries of the program experienced improvement in their quality of life related to oral health, overall oral hygiene and functionality of oral.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.346-351
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• 2014

Suction dentures enhance retention and support by forming negative pressure temporarily at the internal surface of denture base at times of swallowing and chewing because the areas surrounding the denture flanges are sealed by mobile mucosa. In this case, an 81-year-old male visited for new dentures. Considering the high expectations for retention and masticatory efficiency of dentures, fabricating complete dentures with suction dentures was planned. Preliminary impression was taken without applying pressure on retromolar pad area and diagnostic cast was fabricated. Afterwards, individual tray was made and final impression was taken, at the same time, gothic arch tracing was done to acquire centric relation and vertical dimension. Then, anatomic teeth were placed on maxilla and non-anatomic teeth were placed on mandible forming lingualized occlusion. Consequently, restoring a complete edentulous patient with complete dentures using mandibular suction denture resulted in recovering satisfying retention and function.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.433-437
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• 2005

Bezoars are concretions commonly found in the stomach and small bowel, and four types of bezoars have been described based on their composition : trichobezoar, phytobezoar, lactorbezoar, and miscellaneous. Bezoars most often develop after gastric operations that alter the motility, emptying, and grinding of food in the stomach. Trichobezoars are most common in female children with normal gastrointestinal function and are usually associated with pica, mental retardation, and psychiatric disorders. Although uncommon, bezoars are a well-recognized cause of chronic abdominal complaints which, when undiagnosed, can result in serious complications including gastric ulceration, bleeding, perforation, intussusception and small bowel obstruction. Mortality rates of up to 30 percent have been reported in adults. Trichotillomania is behaviors surrounding hair-pulling, including stroking and playing with hair before pulling, or biting and swallowing the hair after it has been pulled(trichophagia). The most notorious of the medical sequelae of trichotillomania is the trichobezoar. We experienced a case of trichobezoar in an 11-year-old girl who frequently swallowed her hairs from age 4 years up to age 7 years, resulting in intermittent abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.259-266
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• 2005

The function of the masseter and anterior temporal muscles was assessed by electromyography in 30 patients with mandibular prognathism (20 patients with facial asymmetry and 10 patients without facial asymmetry) before orthognathic surgery and 4weeks afterwards. Electromyogram(EMG) recordings were made during resting, clenching and swallowing. We compared with right-left difference of this recording and asymmetry index before and after orthognathic surgery. The result of this study was as follows. 1. There was no significant right-left difference in muscle activities of masticatory muscles both asymmetric groups and controls and many variable change after orthognathic surgery.(P>0.05) 2. The mean electric activity of the masticatory muscles was found to have decreased during more clenching than resting, but there was no statistically significant difference because of individual difference of measuring values.(P>0.05) 3. The asymmetry index of masticatory muscles in asymmetric groups was significantly greater during clenching compared with controls.(P<0.05) In conclusion, no right-left difference of muscle activities was found in patients with facial asymmetry before orthognathic surgery and 4weeks afterwards. Not only muscular functioning but also many other factors, such as occlusion, temporomandibular joint disorder and trauma, probably affect facial asymmetry and will be analyzed in future studies. And we will need long term follow-up after orthognathic surgery.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.607-612
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• 2010

Purpose: Maxillectomy for malignant tumor resection often leads to functional and aesthetic sequalae. Reconstruction following maxillectomy has been a challenging problem in the field of head and neck cancer surgery. In this article, we described three dimensional midface reconstructions using free flaps and their functional and aesthetic outcomes. Methods: We reconstructed 35 cases of maxillectomy defects using 9 radial forearm free flaps, 7 lattisimus dorsi musculocutaneous free flaps, 6 rectus abdominis musculocutaneous free flaps, 4 fibular osteocutaneous free flaps, and 9 anterolateral thigh free flaps, respectively. We classified post-maxillectomy defects by Brown's classification. 1 Articulation clarity was measured with picture consonant articulation test. Swallowing function was evaluated with the University of Washington quality-of-life Head and Neck questionnaire by 4 steps.2 Aesthetic outcomes were checked to compare preoperative with postoperative full face photographs by 5 medical doctors who did not involve in our operation. Results: The average articulation clarity was 92.4% (100-41.9%). 27 (81.9%) patients were able to eat an unrestricted diet. Aesthetic results were considered excellent in 18 patients (51.4%). Functional results were best in the group reconstructed with fibular osteocutaneous free flap. Considering the range of wide excision, aesthetic results is best in the group reconstructed with anterolateral thigh free flap. Conclusion: The free flap is a useful technique for the reconstruction of the midface leading to good results, both functionally and aesthetically. Especially, because osteocutaneous flap such as fibular osteocutaneous free flap offered bone source for osteointegrated implant, It produces the best functional results. And perforator flap like as anterolateral thigh free flap reliably provides the best aesthetic results, because it provides sufficient volume and has no postoperative volume diminution.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2010

Maxillectomy is a treatment option for maxillary cancer, which leaves the patient with a palatal defect. It may cause problems with facial deformation, swallowing, mastication, and speech. These functional problems and changes in appearance may result in psychological problems. To control these deficits after maxillectomy, surgical reconstruction or prosthodontic treatment can be chosen as a treatment option. Obturator prosthesis has been used as a preferred method of rehabilitation for most maxillectomy patients. This case is a patient who was classified Aramany classification II hemi-maxillectomy patient with residual teeth from #11-25, whose teeth had substantial labioversion and clinically lengthened from alveolar bone involution, thus making it hard to select proper framework design and resist to the rotational dislodging force of the obturator. Therefore we selected swing-lock attachment design to remain pre-existing crown and bridges and obtain retention and stability of obturator. The swing-lock RPD is economical than the conventional RPD because we can remain pre-existing crown and bridges. And residual teeth which have mobility and poor prognosis can be successfully retained through properly designed swing-lock RPD as it is functioning as a removable splint on the teeth.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.442-451
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• 2004

Protein-calories malnutrition is common among patients in the hospital. In particular, elderly patients with neurologic disorders has more risk of nutritional deficiency due to swallowing difficulty. Enteral tube feeding is more economical, physiological and immunological than parenteral nutrition for patients who have adequate gastrointestinal function. This study was conducted patients with neurologic disorders who received enteral nutrition at Asan Medical Center from February 1 to October 10, 2002. The control group (48 patients) were given traditional feeding methods 4 times a day while the treatment group (45 patients) were given improved feeding methods 3 times a day. We assessed nutritional status of patients and compared to both groups. We investigated body weight, serum albumin, hemoglobin, total lymphocyte count by means of nutrition markers. The objectives of this study is to reduce the time needed for nutritional requirement of patients without an increase in gastrointestinal intolerances. The results of this study are as follows: 1. Nutritional status of many patients in both groups were either malnourished or at risk for malnutrition. 2. The time to arrive to the nutritional requirements were 6.21 $\pm$ 0.35 days for the control group and 4.24 $\pm$ 0.52 days for the treatment group. The treatment group showed a significantly shorter amount of time. 3. The changes of the nutritional marker in the control group showed a significant drop in body weight, serum albumin and serum hemoglobin while the treatment group experienced a significant increase in body weight, serum albumin and total lymphocyte count. 4. Feeding intolerane such as diarrhea, high residual volume, ileus, nausea and vomiting were investigated. Diarrhea found in 25.1% (12 patients) of the control group and 22.2% (10 patients) of the treatment group and these findings are not significant.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.167-181
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• 1997

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between velocity and factors which could affect the velocity of mandibular movement. For this study, 30 dental students without any masticatory signs and symptoms and 90 patients with temporomandibular disorders(TMD) were selected as the control group and the patients group, respectively. After determining Angle's classification and lateral guidance pattern of occlusion, clinical examination for TMD was perfomed. Velocity and distance of mandibular movements were recorded with BioEGN, reproducibility index of lateral excursions was evaluated by Pantronic(PRI) and BioEGN (BERI) activity in masticatory and cervical muscles were measured with BioEMG, and occlusal contact time and cross-arch unbalance(Total left-right statistics, TLR) on clenching were recorded with T-scan, respectively. The results of this study were as follows : 1. Velocity in the patients was faster than that in the controls in most mandibular movements, but on wide opening and closing movement, result was reverse. 2. Velocity on closing movements were faster than that on opening movements in the control group and a similar tendency was also shown in the patients group. 3. Patients with muscle disorders showed a tendency to have the highest value of velocity of all diagnostic subgroups, while patients with degenerative joint diseases showed a tendency to have the lowest value. 4. Patients with canine guidance showed a tendency to have the highest value of velocity in three subgroups by lateral guidance pattern, while patients with group function showed a tendency to have the lowest value. 5. BERI had a positive correlation with opening velocity on lateral excursion, while TLR had a negative correlation with opening velocity on swallowing. 6. EMG activity on clenching in masticatory muscles had negative correlation with opening velocity on border movements, and on swollowing, while the activity in rest correlated positively with opening velocity on border movements. 7. There were positive correlation between the velocity and the distance in long components of mandibular trajectory.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.351-357
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• 2016

Rehabilitation of maxillectomy patients is challenging. The maxillary defects need to functional restoration because of mastication, speech, swallowing problems. The goal of making obturator is to restore maxillary defects and give patients comfortable, esthetic prosthesis. This case report presents acquired masticatory and esthetic results and improved retention resulting from the pharyngeal obturator prosthesis using implant.