• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.101-112
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• 2004

Osseointegrated implnats have proven to be successful in both full and partial edentulous patients since the 1960s and recently have shown successful results when used to restore single tooth missing. However, in most studies reporting the success of single implants, single implants replacing anterior teeth are more frequently mentioned than posterior single implants. Moreover, in studies regarding posterior single implants, the replaced region seemed to be variable; the maxilla, mandible and areas from the first premolar to the second molar were mentioned. However, considering the difference in bone quality in the mandible and maxilla, and the increased occlusal force in the posterior region, the success rates in each region may be different. In this study, the cumulative success rates and amount of bone loss of single implants replacing the mandibular first and second molar, respectively, were compared and analyzed to come to the following conclusion. 1. The 20 (20 persons) single implants that were placed in the mandibular first molar region were all successful and showed a 100% 5 year cumulative success rate. Among the 27 (24 persons) single implants replacing the mandibular second molar, 8 failed (27.63%) showing a 5 year cumulative success rate of 70.37%. 2. Among the 8 failed implants, one showed symptoms of postoperative infection and one complained of parenthesia. 6 implants failed after functional loading; 5 showed mobility and one resulted in fixture fracture. 3. After the attachment of the prosthesis, there was no significant statistical difference regarding the marginal bone loss in group 1 and group 2 during the checkup period (P>0.05). In conclusion, restoration of the mandibular first molar using single implants was found to be an excellent treatment modality, and when replacing mandibular second molars with single implants, poor bone quality and risk of overloading must be considered.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2017

In this case, the impression surface of the existing denture was scanned and was inverted three-dimensionally to express the residual ridge form. Implant planning was performed on the superimposed data of the CT with the scanned image of the denture with radiopaque markers attached. At the day of surgery, customized abutments fabricated in accordance with the form of the gingival margin were linked with fixtures and temporary restorations were set. In the process of fabricating the final prosthesis after the osseointegration of implant fixture, the intraoral scan images at abutment level were merged with images of the abutments scanned and stored before implant surgery. By fabricating the final prosthesis with the abutments obtained by merging can increase the marginal fitness of the final prosthesis and simplify the clinical process.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.97-106
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• 2021

Dental implants should be placed at ideal sites for implant-supported restorations. For a patient with insufficient residual ridge, mouth preparation including surgical intervention can be indicated to establish a soft and hard tissue environment favorable for a definitive prosthesis. Prosthodontic design based on computer-guided surgery and computer-aided design-computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) provides a visual blueprint allowing a clinician to assess the necessity of such a surgical intervention beforehand. In this case, a definitive restoration was planned and made via a CAD-CAM system according to the patient's oral status before treatment, simulated surgical interventions and serial provisional restorations. Based on the planning, a guided template was made and the implants were installed with bone augmentation using the template. Customized abutments, the first and the second provisional restorations were designed and fabricated by CAD-CAM. The definitive restorations were digitally made following the shape of the second provisional prostheses, which were confirmed in the patient's mouth. The patient was satisfied with the masticatory, phonetic and aesthetic functions of these definitive prostheses.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 2023

We present the case of a 65-year-old man with maxillary and mandibular complete dentures prepared using neutral zone technique after undergoing mandibulotomy due to tonsil cancer 10 years ago. The patient had a short edentulous period; hence, there was minimal absorption of the alveolar ridge and no abnormality in the motor function of the tongue. However, the retromolar pad was located inside the hamular notch, and the posterior alveolar ridge was relatively turned inward. If the artificial teeth would have been aligned conventionally, the functional space of the tongue would have been invaded, which would have moved the tongue posteriorly thereby reducing the stability of the denture. Therefore, applying the concept of the neutral zone can be a good reference point in such cases. The neutral zone was registered using tissue conditioner, and tooth alignment was performed by making a silicone putty index. The biggest advantage of using neutral zone concept is denture stability. In this case, the neutral zone technique was applied to obtain the lingual alignment limit of the posterior teeth to avoid invasion of the tongue space by the left posterior part of the mandible. Particularly, in case of a patient in which denture stability is difficult to obtain due to absorption of the alveolar ridge, it is believed that better results can be obtained using neutral zone technique.