• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.171-182
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• 2002

The differential electromagnetic transducer for IME(implantable middle ear) system, which have two small permanent magnets glued with the same pole facing each other in the coil, has high vibration efficiency and does not influenced by external magnetic field. In this paper, using finite element method, highly efficient structure of the transducer was proposed and vibration force of the transducer was calculated by electromagnetic theory. And the necessary vibration force of transducer to transmit the sound signal to inner ear when the transducer is attached at stapes was calculated and the design parameters of the transducer were investigated. Using the parameters, the differential electromagnetic transducer was manufactured in small size to implant in confined human middle ear. And it was examined by unloaded and loaded vibration experiment using temporal bone sampled from cadaver.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.466-475
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• 1997

In this paper, an implantable middle ear hearing aids using an electromagnetic transducer which consists of a tiny coil and a magnet is designed, and objective design method to implement a vibrator of the electromagnetic type transducer is proposed. Sound characteristic of the electromagnetic type vibrator is excellent but power transfer rate is lower than that of a ceramic type. To improve power transfer efficiency of system, external and inner part of a middle ear system is designed using FM transmission method. We implemented an experimental set of the designed transducer, inner part, and outer part. Then, we measured vibration characteristics of a metal strip and a temporal bone of a dead body. As the results, we confirmed the advantage of FM method and showed that designed transducer could effectively transmit vibration of amplified input sound pressure to ossicle.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.150-155
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• 2013

Recently, various hearing aids are developed to overcome hearing loss. There are available hearing aids, such as air conduction hearing aid, implantable middle ear hearing aid and so on. But air conduction hearing aid is inconvenience caused by howling, and ossicle chain driving type implantable middle ear hearing aid has some week point due to problem of possible nercobiosis of coupling spot along incus long process. In recent years, in order to improve these shortcomings round window (RW) driving hearing aid has been paying attention. In this paper, the physical cochlear model is proposed for a performance evaluation of the RW driving hearing aids of a transducer. In order to verify an experiment proposed on a performance of physical cochlear model, the transducer which has ossicles characteristics is used. By measuring and comparing the frequency characteristics of transducer with ossicles and human temporal bone, performance of physical cochlear model was verified. As from the result of experiment, it is expected that an implemented cochlear model is useful for evaluating characteristics of RW transducer.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.283-287
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was performed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of pneumatized articular tubercle or eminence among a defined group of Iranian people. Materials and Methods: Digital panoramic radiographs of 1694 patients in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Hamadan Dental School, Iran were evaluated retrospectively to detect the above lesion. Finally, 1563 radiographs were selected according to inclusion criteria. Then, a review was done of 10 large case series found using a MEDLINE search of the literature. Chi-squared test was used to analyze the differences in variables such as age, gender, laterality, and locularity in our case series. Results: The average age of our samples was $32.6{\pm}7.63$ years. Pneumatized articular tubercle was found in 98 cases, representing a prevalence of 6.2% with a mean age of $22.8{\pm}7.9$ and a range of 8 to 60 years. Sixty-four (65.3%) pneumatized articular tubercles were unilateral, with 30 lesions on the right and 34 on the left side. Bilateral lesions were found in 34 (34.7%) patients. 52 (53.06%) of the pneumatized articular tubercles were of the unilocular type and 46 (46.94%) were multilocular. The results showed no statistically significant differences regarding age (p=0.454), gender (p=0.634), laterality (p=0.252), or locularity (p=0.807) among the samples. Conclusion: Among ten large case series from other countries, the prevalence of pneumatized articular tubercle (6.2%) in Iranian patients was higher than that of all eight of the case series that used the same detection method as the present study of panoramic radiography.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to to analyze the mechanical stress on articular disk of the dentated skull with the condition of unilateral posterior molar missing. For this study, the three dimensional finite element model of human skull scanned by means of computed tomography. (G.E. 8800 Quick, USA) was constructed. The finite element model of jaws is composed of 98,394 elements and 38,321 nodes, and it consists of articular disc, maxilla, mandible, teeth, periodontal ligament and cranium. Boundary condition included rigid restraints at the first molar and endosteal cortical surfaces of the insertion points of temporal bone. The data derived from Nelson's study were used for the loading conditions of mandible during clenchings and for maxilla, new loading and constraint conditions were applied. A clenching task during intercuspal position was modeled to the three dimensional finite element model. The stress level and displacement of articualr disc on the model with unilateral posterior molar missing under bilateral clenching task can be analyzed. During bilateral clenchings, the compressive stress level and diplacement of the articular disk on the side of unilateral posterior molar missing is greater than that on the case with full dentition, whereas a higher stress was found on the disk on the balancing side of the full dentition. Although this kind of study is not enough to explain the role of occlusion as an etiologic factor of TMD, there may be a possibiliy that the condition of posterior molar missings may contribute in part to the TMJ biomechanics.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 1996

In Fibrous dysplasia(FD) of the jaws, the majority of cases can await the cessation of growth before surgical intervention, and it seems prudent to delay surgery whenever possible until growth has ceased. In craniofacial FD, however, the dangers of dystopia, dystopia and loss of vision may require early surgery to prevent or control cranio-orbital complications. Delaying surgery in those circumstances may be significantly detrimental to such patients. Conservative surgical management of FD is widely practised and we advocate an extension to this conservative treatment by combining surgical recontouring with appropriate osteotomies if indicated, to achieve an optimal esthetic and functional results in craniofacial FD. One case will be presented to illustrate the feasiblility of such combined treatment, to report the uneventful healing of osteotomies in the FD of the jaws, and to demonstrate the use of titanium miniplate fixation in dysplastic bone. The other case had expansile disease of the left facial and fronto-temporal bones and osteolytic change left mandible. This patient complained of severe spontaneous bleeding of left mandibular premolar area and it was suspected as central hemangioma of the left mandible and craniofacial FD. Angiogram disclosed generalized dilation of the external carotid artery and its branches, especially terminal branches of the left facial and inferior alveolar arteries. But no specific abnormalities, such as A-V shunt, venous lake, or early venous drainage, was seen. So it was diagnosed craniofacial FD with hypercellularity and generalized bony recontouring was performed via coronal and transoral approaches.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2007

Recently, implantable middle ear hearing devices (IMEHDs) have been developed to overcome the problems of conventional hearing aids. In this paper, a piezoelectric floating mass transducer (PFMT) based on a PZT multi-layered actuator has been designed and implemented using the approximated mechanical vibration modeling for the PFMT and the analysis of vibration characteristics through the transformation into the equivalent electrical model. The implemented PFMT has been attached to the ossicle of a human cadaver's temporal bone and the in-vitro experiment has been performed. Through the experimental results, it has been verified that the PFMT applied into our developed implantable middle ear hearing device can be used for an IMEHD transducer.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2015

Background: Source material used to fill calvarial defects includes autologous bones and synthetic alternatives. While autologous bone is preferable to synthetic material, autologous reconstruction is not always feasible due to defect size, unacceptable donor-site morbidity, and other issues. Today, advanced three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques allow for fabrication of titanium implants customized to the exact need of individual patients with calvarial defects. In this report, we present three cases of calvarial reconstructions using 3D-printed porous titanium implants. Methods: From 2013 through 2014, three calvarial defects were repaired using custom-made 3D porous titanium implants. The defects were due either to traumatic subdural hematoma or to meningioma and were located in parieto-occipital, fronto-temporo-parietal, and parieto-temporal areas. The implants were prepared using individual 3D computed tomography (CT) data, Mimics software, and an electron beam melting machine. For each patient, several designs of the implant were evaluated against 3D-printed skull models. All three cases had a custom-made 3D porous titanium implant laid on the defect and rigid fixation was done with 8 mm screws. Results: The custom-made 3D implants fit each patient's skull defect precisely without any dead space. The operative site healed without any specific complications. Postoperative CTs revealed the implants to be in correct position. Conclusion: An autologous graft is not a feasible option in the reconstruction of large calvarial defects. Ideally, synthetic materials for calvarial reconstruction should be easily applicable, durable, and strong. In these aspects, a 3D titanium implant can be an optimal source material in calvarial reconstruction.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.80-91
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• 2021

Objective : The purpose of this study is to discriminate the vestibular schwannoma misdiagnosed as Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Methods : A 46-year-old female patient who was suffering left sudden sensorineural hearing loss(SSNHL), visited after diagnosed as Idiopathic SSNHL by previous hospital. For diagnosing the vestibular schwannoma, we conducted the Puretone audiometry, auditory brainstem response threshold test and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) for temporal bone with enhancement. Result : Auditory Brainstem Response threshold test was abnormal and in enhanced MRI, the vestibular schwannoma in left side was detected. The patient was discharged from the hospital for tertiary hospital care. Conclusions : When the patient with SSNHL visits a hospital even if after diagnosed as Idiopathic SSNHL by previous hospital, a doctor should keep in mind the possibility of vestibular schwannoma.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.161-164
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• 2021

The foramen of Huschke (FH) or foramen tympanicum is a persistent bony defect connecting the external auditory canal (EAC) to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). It arises from an incomplete ossification of the tympanic part of the temporal bone that persists after the age of 5. If a herniation exists in the TMJ, otological symptoms may occur. An 80-year-old female patient complained of noise in her left TMJ and otorrhea in her left ear. On her cone beam computed tomography images, there were only degenerative joint disease signs on her left mandibular condyle. However, her computed tomography images revealed that the soft tissue of the TMJ herniate into the EAC. Additional examination was planned for the further evaluation. But the patient no longer visited the hospital due to her systemic health status, and symptoms disappeared spontaneously without any treatments. Usually this type of herniation is very rare, but years of mechanical stress from mastication may result in weakening and widening of the foramen with age. Therefore, although FH is usually congenital, sometimes it may be acquired in the elderly. The treatment plan should be determined in consideration of the patient's symptom level and the patient's general health status. If the clinical symptoms are not severe, no treatment is required.