• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.12-21
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• 2022

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in retention and wear pattern of Locator^® and ADD-TOC attachments on a digital milled bar by performing chewing simulation and repeated insertion/removal of prostheses in fully edentulous models. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Locator (Locator^®; Zest Anchors Inc., Escondido, CA, USA) was selected as the control group and ADD-TOC (ADD-TOC; PNUAdd Co., Ltd., Busan, Republic of Korea) as the experimental group. A CAD-CAM milled bar was mounted on a master model and 3 threaded holes for connecting a bar attachment was formed using a tap. Locator and ADD-TOC attachments were then attached to the milled bar. Simulated mastication and repeated insertion/removal were performed over 400,000 cyclic loadings and 1,080 insertions/removals, respectively. Wear patterns on deformed attachment were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS. For the ADD-TOC attachments, chewing simulation and repeated insertion/removal resulted in a mean initial retentive force of 24.43 ± 4.89 N, which were significantly lower than that of the Locator attachment, 34.33 ± 8.25 N (P < .05). Amounts of retention loss relative to baseline for the Locator and ADD-TOC attachments were 21.74 ± 7.07 and 8.98 ± 5.76 N (P < .05). CONCLUSION. CAD-CAM milled bar with the ADD-TOC attachment had a lower initial retentive force than the Locator attachment. However, the ADD-TOC attachment might be suitable for long-term use as it showed less deformation and had a higher retentive force after simulated mastication and insertion/removal repetitions.

• 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.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.82-89
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• 2023

The tongue is one of the most common sites of oral cancer. Glossectomy is known as the gold standard for tongue cancer treatment. However, surgical removal can lead to reduced mobility of the tongue and the patients may have difficulty performing normal oral functions like swallowing and pronunciation. Therefore, additional prosthetic consideration to supplement the function of the impaired tongue is needed for oral rehabilitation of such patients. Palatal augmentation prosthesis helps the tongue to reach the palate by lowering the position of the palatal polished surface. The oral functions of the patients with limited tongue mobility can be improved by the prosthesis. In this case, palatal augmented maxillary denture and conventional mandibular denture were fabricated for the completely edentulous patient with reduced tongue mobility after glossectomy due to tongue cancer. As a result, the oral functions of the patient were improved with the prosthesis.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.367-378
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• 2023

With the recent development of computer-aided design-computer-aided manufacturing technology and 3D printing technology, and the introduction of various digital techniques, the accuracy and efficiency of top-down definitive prosthetic restoration are increasing. In this clinical case, stable occlusion support was obtained through the placement of a total of 9 maxillary and mandibular posterior implants in patient with anterior-posterior crossed occlusion. The edentulous area of the maxillary anterior teeth, which showed a tendency of high resorption of the residual alveolar bone, was restored with a Kennedy Class IV implant assisted removable partial denture to restore soft tissue esthetics. Computed tomography guided surgery was used to place implants in the planned position, double scan technique was used to reflect the stabilized occlusion in the interim restoration stage to the definitive prostheses, and metal 3D printing was used to manufacture the coping and framework. This clinical case reports that efficient and predictable top-down full mouth rehabilitation was achieved using various digital technologies and techniques.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.316-327
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• 2023

In the case of fully edentulous patients with severe alveolar bone resorption, the consideration of 'All-on-X' implant-supported fixed prosthesis after placing four or more implants in the anterior maxilla is possible. Recent advancements in digital dentistry have enabled systematic and predictable treatment in all phases, including diagnosis, surgery, and prosthesis fabrication. By incorporating digital dentistry techniques such as digital complete denture, implant surgical guides, facial scanning into the conventional restoration process, it is possible to reduce the complexity of the prosthesis fabrication and effectively achieve the transition from provisional prosthesis to definitive prosthesis in terms of both aesthetics and function.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.281-289
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• 2023

PURPOSE. This study aimed to predict the positional coordinates of incisor points from the scan data of conventional complete dentures and verify their accuracy. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The standard triangulated language (STL) data of the scanned 100 pairs of complete upper and lower dentures were imported into the computer-aided design software from which the position coordinates of the points corresponding to each landmark of the jaw were obtained. The x, y, and z coordinates of the incisor point (X_P, Y_P, and Z_P) were obtained from the maxillary and mandibular landmark coordinates using regression or calculation formulas, and the accuracy was verified to determine the deviation between the measured and predicted coordinate values. Y_P was obtained in two ways using the hamularincisive-papilla plane (HIP) and facial measurements. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict Z_P. The root mean squared error (RMSE) values were used to verify the accuracy of the X_P and Y_P. The RMSE value was obtained after crossvalidation using the remaining 30 cases of denture STL data to verify the accuracy of Z_P. RESULTS. The RMSE was 2.22 for predicting X_P. When predicting Y_P, the RMSE of the method using the HIP plane and facial measurements was 3.18 and 0.73, respectively. Cross-validation revealed the RMSE to be 1.53. CONCLUSION. Y_P and Z_P could be predicted from anatomical landmarks of the maxillary and mandibular edentulous jaw, suggesting that Y_P could be predicted with better accuracy with the addition of the position of the lower border of the upper lip.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.250-259
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• 2023

The use of digital technology in fixed prosthetic treatment using implants enables predictive treatment through diagnosis and virtual surgery by integrating clinical and radiological information of patients. Existing digital scanning methods require several components to be removed, such as removing the healing abutment and connecting the scan body. In the scannable healing abutment developed in consideration of this point, scanning is performed directly on the healing abutment, maintaining soft tissue sealing and simplifying scanning. Digital technology can also be used when obtaining the intermaxillary relationship. Recently, various digital technologies have been reported to acquire the intermaxillary relationship of edentulous patients using surgical guides, patient-specific scanning devices, or scans of the inside of temporary dentures. In this case, the implant-supported fixed prosthesis treatment was performed through scanning the scannable healing abutment and the inner side of the temporary denture to obtain the intermaxillary relationship, thereby simplifying the treatment process and obtaining aesthetically and functionally excellent clinical results.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 2024

Removable partial denture wearers are exposed to the risks that remaining teeth get damaged by caries, attritions, erosion, and fracture. In the case of damaged abutment tooth which should fit to Removable partial denture (RPD), the fabrication of surveyed crown is followed by the making of RPD. However, making new denture takes a long time, and needs several processes and costs. Also, patients should get used to new denture. If other abutment teeth and edentulous ridges provide the existing denture with support, retention, and stability, use of existing denture is considered clinically acceptable. In this situation, fabricating retrofit crowns to an existing removable partial denture makes patient use existing denture, cuts costs, and reduces discomfort. In this case, severely worn teeth were restored using monolithic zirconia crown which fit to an existing removable partial denture by CAD-CAM. Moreover, support, retention, and stability of the denture were improved, and both doctor and patient were satisfied with the result.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.123-130
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• 2024

There are various methods for restoring the dentition of completely edentulous patients. Removable complete dentures have the advantage of being relatively economical, but they can be uncomfortable to wear. With the introduction of implant prosthodontics, various options such as implant-supported overdentures and hybrid prostheses have become available. If there is inadequate remaining ridge or limited financial resources, an overdenture supported by a few implants with additional attachments may be more suitable. In this case, due to severe peri-implantitis and other complications, the implants were removed. Subsequently, four implants (two on each side) were placed in the maxilla and a milled-bar with attachment was fabricated for each side of the maxilla.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.201-214
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• 2024

In patients with unstable mandibular movements who are accompanied by involuntary facial muscle movements and asymmetrical changes in the facial features, many difficulties exist in determining the vertical dimension of occlusion, recording centric relation, and transferring information about the occlusal plane. In this case, for a patient with unilateral facial nerve palsy who was edentulous for a long period of time, a CAD-CAM provisional prosthesis was fabricated using a 3D printing customized gothic arch tracer and a prefabricated occlusal plane recorder, the POP bow system, to achieve a stable interarch relationship. Afterwards, a full mouth implant fixed prosthesis was fabricated by delivering an appropriate vertical dimension of occlusion, a reproducible centric relation, and a correct three-dimensional occlusal plane, and continuous maintenance was performed to restore functional and aesthetic oral health to the patient.