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Although several studies have investigated effective treatments for masticatory muscle pain (MMP), no unified conclusion has been drawn regarding the effectiveness of these treatments.This study aimed to define quantitative indicators for predicting the outcome of MMP treatment.In total, patients aged 20-70 years were recruited and divided into the MMP (n = 24) and control (n = 36) groups, based on the presence of MMP according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. At pretreatment, the MMP group was assessed using quantitative indicators such as subjective pain levels, pain duration, graded chronic pain scale (GCPS), and perceived stress scale (PSS). Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were analyzed. The masticatory muscle palpation score and the range of mouth opening were measured. At posttreatment, subjective pain levels, mouth opening, and treatment/medication duration were examined. The PSS and sAA levels were assessed in the control group.sAA levels in the MMP group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p .05). The masseter muscle palpation score (MPS) showed a positive correlation with IL-6 levels (ρ = 0.503, p .05) and a negative correlation with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) treatment period (ρ = -0.462, p .05). The temporalis muscle palpation score (TPS) was positively correlated with pain duration and GCPS grade (ρ = 0.483, p .05, and ρ = 0.445, p .05, respectively).Treatment with NSAIDs was effective in the MMP group with high MPS and IL-6 levels, but not in the MMP group with high TPS, pain duration, and GCPS grade.

Methods available for estimating the age of a living body are somewhat limited when there is shortage of teeth. This study aimed to determine whether the average stage of attrition (ASA) method published in 1995 by Li and Ji is practical among Koreans in their 50s and 60s. A total of 173 cases using 265 molars from 92 patients in their 50s and 60s who underwent age assessment at the Department of Oral Medicine at Pusan National University Dental Hospital from 2012 to 2022 were analyzed through clinical photographs and diagnostic casts. ASA method was used to determine the average attrition of cusps and calculate the estimated age. There was a moderate correlation between the average attrition of molars and the patients’ actual age. In patients in their 50s and 60s, the error range between the estimated age and the actual age was less than 10 years in 139 of 173 cases (74.56%), and age was underestimated in 147 cases (84.98%). The tendency for age to be underestimated was higher in women than in men. Regression analysis using both the first and second molars showed that the influence of the first molar was greater than that of the second molar. Although the correlation is not very high, considering the limitations of age estimation in the living body, this method may be useful if coupled with another method such as dental radiograph analysis when there is an absolute shortage of available teeth.

Association between the Masticatory and Cervical Muscle Activities according to the Pillow Height in Supine Position

Purpose We aimed to investigate the effect of metal ions from oral prostheses (OPs) released into the saliva of patients with oral lichenoid lesions (OLLs). Materials and methods Subjects (n=183) were divided into four groups according to the presence or absence of OLL and OP. Concentrations of the metal ions titanium, chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), and zirconium (Zr) were measured using a laser-ablation microprobe inductively coupled to a plasma mass spectrometer. Saliva levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The reticulation/keratosis, erythema, and ulceration (REU) scoring system was used to assess the severity of OLL. Results Mean concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 were statistically higher in OLL patients with OPs. The concentration of Ni was high in OLL groups. The concentrations of Cr, Ni, and Au ions in the saliva were positively correlated with IL-8. REU scores were positively correlated with salivary concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8, as well as with concentrations of Cr, Ni, and Au. Conclusion Increased concentrations of metal ions, especially Ni, in saliva were positively correlated with IL-8 and showed positive correlations with the severity of OLL.

To assess the dentoskeletal factors of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) that can predict anterior open-bite development after stabilization splint treatment (ST).Eighty-seven TMD patients were classified into three groups according to the degree of overbite changes after ST. Statistically significant differences in dental and skeletal measurements before ST among the groups were investigated.Pre-ST dental and skeletal measurements that were significantly different among the groups were upper central incisor (U1) to point A-pogonion (A-Pog), facial height ratio (FHR), A point-nasion-B point angle (ANB), Wits appraisal, ramus height, angle of convexity, and sella to condylion. Among these factors, FHR, ramus height, and sella to condylion had a positive relationship with overbite changes.Dentoskeletal factors, i.e., FHR, ramus height, and sella to condylion, can predict anterior open-bite development after ST in TMD patients.

Purpose Osteoarthritis (OA) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) elicits cartilage and subchondral bone defects. Growth hormone (GH) promotes chondrocyte growth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular injections of GH to treat TMJ-OA. Materials and methods Monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) was used to induce OA in the TMJs of rats. After confirming the induction of OA, recombinant human GH was injected into the articular cavities of rats. Concentrations of GH and IGF-1 were measured in the blood and synovial fluid, and OA grades of cartilage and subchondral bone degradation were recorded by histological examination and micro-computed tomography. Results MIA-induced OA in the rat TMJ upregulated insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) rather than GH levels. GH and IGF-1 concentrations were increased after local injection of GH, compared with controls. Locally injected GH lowered osteoarthritic scores in the cartilage and subchondral bone of the TMJ. Conclusion Intra-articular injection of GH improved OA scores in rat TMJs in both cartilage and subchondral bone of the condyles without affecting condylar bone growth. These results suggest that intra-articular injection of human GH could be a suitable treatment option for TMJ-OA patients in the future.

Candida species are common global opportunistic pathogens that could repeatedly and chronically cause oral mucosa infection and create an inflammatory environment, leading to organ dysfunction. Oral Candida infections may cause temporary or permanent damage to salivary glands, resulting in the destruction of acinar cells and the formation of scar tissue. Restricted function of the salivary glands leads to discomfort and diseases of the oral mucosa, such as dry mouth and associated infection. This narrative review attempts to summarize the anatomy and function of salivary glands, the associations between Candida and saliva, the effects of Candida infection on salivary glands, and the treatment strategies. Overall, clinicians should proactively manage Candida infections by educating patients on oral hygiene management for vulnerable populations, conducting frequent checks for a timely diagnosis, and providing an effective treatment plan.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is one of the most prevalent oral mucosal diseases, but there is no cure for OLP yet. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the role of barrier dysfunction and infection in OLP pathogenesis through analysis of transcriptome datasets available in public databases. Two transcriptome datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and analyzed as whole and as partial sets after removing outliers. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) upregulated in the dataset of OLP versus healthy epithelium were significantly enriched in epidermal development, keratinocyte differentiation, keratinization, responses to bacterial infection, and innate immune response. In contrast, the upregulated DEGs in the dataset of the mucosa predominantly reflected chemotaxis of immune cells and inflammatory/immune responses. Forty-three DEGs overlapping in the two datasets were identified after removing outliers from each dataset. The overlapping DEGs included genes associated with hyperkeratosis (upregulated LCE3E and TMEM45A), wound healing (upregulated KRT17, IL36G, TNC, and TGFBI), barrier defects (downregulated FRAS1 and BCL11A), and response to infection (upregulated IL36G, ADAP2, DFNA5, RFTN1, LITAF, and TMEM173). Immunohistochemical examination of IL-36γ, a protein encoded by one of the DEGs IL36G, in control (n = 7) and OLP (n = 25) tissues confirmed the increased expression of IL-36γ in OLP. Collectively, we identified gene signatures associated with hyperkeratosis, wound healing, barrier defects, and response to infection in OLP. IL-36γ, a cytokine involved in both wound repair and antimicrobial defense, may be a possible therapeutic target in OLP.

Animals digest food to fuel brain neurometabolism via cellular respiration. This study demonstrates the combination of a biofuel cell (BFC) and an animal brain stimulator (ABS) implanted in a pigeon. Glucose oxidation and oxygen reduction in an enzymatic BFC supplied electrical power to the ABS. Power from the BFC reached 0.12 mW in vitro and 0.08 mW in vivo using only the natural glucose and oxygen in the pigeon's body. A power management integrated circuit is used to harvest energy from the in vivo BFC at a rate of 28.4 mJ over 10 min, which is sufficient for intermittent neurostimulation.

AIMS Microbial consortia can be more efficient at biological processes than single isolates. The purposes of this study were to design and evaluate a synthetic microbial consortium containing the methanotroph Methylocystis sp. M6 and the helper Hyphomicrobium sp. NM3, and develop a novel methanotrophic process for this consortium utilizing a dialysis membrane. METHODS AND RESULTS Hyphomicrobium increased the methane-oxidation rate (MOR), biomass and stability at a dilution rate of 0·067 day-1 in fed-batch co-culture. qRT-PCR showed that Methylocystis population increased gradually with time, whereas Hyphomicrobium population remained stable despite cell washing, confirming synergistic population interaction. At 0·1 day-1 , spiking of Hyphomicrobium effectively increased the methanotrophic activity, after which Hyphomicrobium population decreased with time, indicating that the consortium is optimal at

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify a marker for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA) diagnosis by comparing the concentrations of urinary pyridinoline (PYD), deoxypyridinoline (DPD), and C-terminal telopeptides type I collagen (CTX-I), and CTX-II of TMJ OA patients with those of a non-symptomatic group. Methods: PYD, DPD, CTX-I, and CTX-II concentrations in the urine of 36 non-symptomatic subjects and 31 TMJ OA subjects were analyzed. Results: The differences for only PYD and DPD were significant. In ROC analysis, PYD and DPD showed higher sensitivity and specificity than CTX-I and CTX-II. PYD and DPD concentrations in urine were significantly increased in TMJ OA patients and can therefore be used as a biomarker in the supplementary clinical diagnosis of TMJ OA. Discussion: The findings suggest that measurement of their concentration can be a supplementary method for clinical diagnosis of TMJ OA.

Purpose The purpose of the present study was to perform a pattern analysis in patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) resulting from unilateral mastication due to chronic periodontitis. Methods Thirty participants with signs or symptoms of TMD who engaged in unilateral mastication due to periodontitis-related discomfort (test group) were selected. Another 30 subjects exhibiting signs or symptoms of TMD resulting from unilateral mastication not due to chronic periodontitis (control group) were also recruited. An interview-based questionnaire was administered, and an examination of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with determination of periodontal status was performed. Results The duration of unilateral mastication was significantly longer in the control group than in the test group. There was a significant negative correlation between the duration of unilateral mastication and the Community Periodontal Index score. Using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) axis I algorithms, all the subjects were assigned to 3 main groups. The test group exhibited significantly a higher diagnostic distribution of group III (arthralgia, osteoarthritis, or osteoarthrosis), and in both the test and control groups, the number of diagnoses was larger for the non-chewing side. The control group showed a significantly higher diagnostic distribution of group I (myofacial pain), and in both the test and control groups, the number of diagnoses was larger for the chewing side. Conclusions The results of the present study indicate that unilateral mastication due to chronic periodontitis could induce not only pain but also structural TMJ changes if adequate treatment is not administered and supported within a short time from the onset of the condition. Therefore, immediate treatment of chronic periodontitis is recommended to prevent not only the primary progress of periodontal disease, but also secondary TMJ-related problems. Furthermore, subjects who have suffered chronic long-term periodontitis without treatment should be urged to undergo a TMJ examination., Graphical Abstract

This retrospective study aims to investigate the proportion and characteristics of patients who perceive dental treatment (DT) as a cause of oral mucosal lesions (OMLs). A total of 2,302 patients with OMLs visited the Oral Medicine Department of Pusan National University Dental Hospital. The patients were divided into a study group (280 patients who perceived DT as a cause of OMLs) and a control group (300 randomly selected patients). Percentages of DT types, clinical characteristics, and the frequencies of diagnoses and chief complaint (CC) sites were analyzed in both groups. Among the patients with OMLs, 12.2% attributed OMLs to DT. Among the diagnoses, allergic reaction (AR) and traumatic ulcer/irritation (TU) were significantly more frequent in the study group. The DT types most frequently perceived as the cause of OMLs were implants. According to patients, TU and candida occurred most frequently following denture placement (68-79%), whereas oral lichen planus and AR occurred most commonly following implant treatment (52-53%). The gingiva was significantly more frequent as the CC site in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05 for all outcomes). It is important to inform patients of the potential complications of DT and the importance of regular check-ups.

Purpose: This study is designed to analyse etiology and bone pattern at the first visit using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and to evaluate the treatment outcome of conservative treatment in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: One hundred condyles in 50 subjects with RA were chosen among the patients who presented to the Department of Oral Medicine of Pusan National University Dental Hospital, diagnosed as TMD. Condylar bone changes were classified by normal, erosive bony change, proliferative bony change and combined group (erosive bony change+proliferative bony change). They were treated conservatively with physical therapy, medication, behavioral therapy and/or occlusal stabilizing splint therapy. After 3 months on average, patients were re-evaluated with regards to subjective symptoms and the clinical findings were investigated. Results: TMD patients with RA have behavioral contributing factors such as parafunctional habit. The results that analyse bone pattern at the first visit using CBCT proliferative bony changes group (32.6%) were more common than erosive bony changes group (15.2%). In comparison between unilateral and bilateral bony change in temporomandibular joint, the ratio showed no significant differences. After 3 months of conservative treatments, pain, noise, limitation of motion (LOM) were markedly improved regardless of occlusal splint therapy. However only LOM was significantly improved through occlusal splint therapy during 3 months. Conclusions: TMD patients with RA had similar behavioral contributing factors and characteristics of CBCT images shown in general TMD patients and also similar response to conservative treatment so it is difficult to differentiate. Therefore when TMD patients show symptoms corresponding to clinical diagnostic criteria of RA at the first visit, serological testing should be conducted and through this, early diagnosis and treatment of RA should be initiated.

Purpose: Patients who suffer from rheumatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, other various inflammatory diseases and musculoskeletal disorders, which are all similar to temporomandibular disorders (TMD), have been complaining about changes in the level and type of pain in response to changes in weather conditions for a long time. Through an investigation about pain perception in TMD patients in response to weather conditions, our primary objective was to develop base materials for future studies on change in pain in response to meteorological factors. Methods: Among patients who presented with TMD to Department of Oral Medicine, Pusan National University Dental Hospital from August to October 2016, one hundred consecutive TMD patients diagnosed with TMDs according to Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC⁄TMD) were recruited for the study and 28 patients were excluded according to exclusion criteria. Survey was done with the questionnaire and investigated whether there was any difference in incidence and level of pain in TMD patients between non-rainy and rainy days. Results: Among a total of 72 samples, 4 patients reported change in pain on rainy days rather than non-rainy days. Two patients from chronic group (joint and complex subgroup) reported increased pain on rainy days rather than non-rainy days but it was not statistically significant (p＞0.05). One patient from chronic/muscle group reported the change in pain characteristics while pain intensity remained unchanged. One patient from acute/complex group reported decreased pain intensity. In comparison of the patients who reported increased pain on rainy days between acute and chronic groups, there were two reported cases and were both from chronic group only. There was a significantly higher chance of reporting increased pain on rainy days in chronic group than acute group (p＜0.001). Conclusions: It is considered that TMD patients couldn’t perceive the change in pain well in response to weather change on rainy days but some chronic patients could perceive the increase in pain in rainy days.

The aim of this study was to evaluate, by CBCT superimposition, bone changes (cortical bone intactness, sclerosis and subchondral cyst) in the glenoid fossa related to stabilization splint (SS) therapy for temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) patients and to compare the effects for two groups, one that had undergone SS therapy and the other that had not.This case-control study included 36 TMJ OA patients, 10 that had undergone SS therapy (the SS group) compared with 26 that had not (the non-SS group). Osseous changes in the glenoid fossa were evaluated based on superimposed CBCT images before and after treatment.Improvements ranging from 57.5 to 100% were achieved in cortical bone integrity, sclerosis, and subchondral cyst for both groups, SS and non-SS. However, there were no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p0.05). The non-SS group showed a significant decrease in the distances from the point of inflexion and the lowest point of the articular eminence to the reference line (p0.05). On the other hand, the SS group showed an increase for the point of inflexion. The other measures showed no statistically significant differences in distance before treatment and after treatment, even though the average distance after treatment showed an overall increasing tendency.SS therapy relieved excessive loading on the TMJ in the TMD OA patients, who showed, via CBCT superimposition, less bone resorption in the glenoid fossa.

Whereas a somatic pain notifies tissue damage, a neuropathic pain presents disorder of the nerve itself. The causes of neuropathic pains are trauma, infection, chronic irritation by adjacent tissue and so on. The iatrogenic trauma or infection also causes traumatic neuropathy, which may exert a bad influence on doctor-patient relationship. Some of related dental treatments are implantation (directly or indirectly through heating), root canal treatment, teeth extraction, block anesthesia, mandibular surgery. If inappropriate management is performed after nerve trauma, there will be many chances to develop chronic neuropathy for the patient. It is important that the sign of nerve trauma have to be caught by the practitioner as soon as possible and treated properly.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of pregabalin for patients with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS) who are unresponsive to topical clonazepam therapy. Methods: By searching the clinical electronic records from the Department of Oral Medicine, Pusan National University Dental Hospital from 2012 to 2014, a retrospective analysis was performed on patients with primary BMS who were treated with topical clonazepam therapy during this period. Of the patients who were unresponsive to this therapy, 19 patients who were subsequently treated with pregabalin were included in the study. A pain assessment was performed using the 11-point numerical rating scale at first visit, following topical clonazepam therapy, and again after pregabalin therapy. The treatment outcomes were statistically analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: Following additional pregabalin administration, the mean pain score was slightly reduced. A total of 7 patients reported a marked response (>50% pain reduction), and 3 patients reported a slight reduction in pain. Pain reduction following pregabalin therapy was statistically significant (p Conclusions: Pregabalin has a slight therapeutic effect on patients with primary BMS. Therefore, we recommend pregabalin as an alternative drug for BMS patients who are unresponsive to topical clonazepam therapy.

Summary Autophagy provides a mechanism for the turnover of cellular organelles and proteins through a lysosome-dependent degradation pathway and is a possible mechanism in inflammatory disease. Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease caused by periodontal pathogens. Porphyromonas gingivalis, an important periodontal pathogen, activates cellular autophagy to provide a replicative niche while suppressing apoptosis in endothelial cells. However, the molecular basis for a causal relationship between P. gingivalis and autophagy is unclear. This research examines the involvement of P. gingivalis in autophagy through light chain 3 (LC3) and autophagic proteins, and the role of P. gingivalis-induced autophagy in the clearance of P. gingivalis and inflammation. To investigate the molecular mechanism of autophagy induced by P. gingivalis, PMA-differentiated THP-1-derived macrophages were infected with live P. gingivalis. The P. gingivalis increased the formation of autophagosomes in a multiplicity of infection-dependent manner, as well as autophagolysosomes. Porphyromonas gingivalis activated LC3-I/LC3-II conversion and increased the conjugation of autophagy-related 5 (ATG5) –ATG12 and the expression of Beclin1. The expressions of Beclin1, ATG5–ATG12 conjugate, and LC3-II were significantly inhibited by the presence of 3-methyladenine, an autophagy inhibitor. Interestingly, 3-methyladenine increased the survival of P. gingivalis and proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β production. The data indicate that P. gingivalis induces autophagy in PMA-differentiated THP-1-derived macrophages and in turn, macrophages eliminate P. gingivalis through an autophagic response, which can lead to the restriction of an excessive inflammatory response by downregulating interleukin-1β production. The induction of autophagy by P. gingivalis may play an important role in the periodontal inflammatory process and serve as a target for the development of new therapies.

Jaceosidin is a single compound from the Japanese mugwort Artemisia princeps, which is used as a food and a traditional medicinal herb. A. princeps extracts and flavonoid components have been shown to have antihyperglycaemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Although the anticancer properties of these extracts were recently demonstrated, the related mechanisms have not been characterised. In this study, we investigated the effects of jaceosidin in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells and initially showed selective suppression of proliferation (IC50 = 82.1 μM in HSC-3 cells and 97.5 μM in Ca9.22 cells) and accumulation of cells at the sub-G1 stage of the cell cycle. In addition, jaceosidin increased cleavage of caspase-9 and caspase-3 in OSCC cells, although caspase-8 was not detected. In further experiments, jaceosidin downregulated Akt phosphorylation and ectopic activation of Akt blocked the antiproliferative effects of jaceosidin. Finally, we showed that jaceosidin has no effects on HaCaT normal epithelial cell viability, indicating selective chemotherapeutic potential of jaceosidin and that tumour-specific downregulation of Akt increases apoptosis and inhibits growth in OSCC cells.

Purpose: The purpose of present study was to develop a method for assessing the chronological age of Korean adults based on the relationship between age and size of pulp cavity using dental radiographs of mandibular first molars. Methods: A total of 325 dental radiographs of Korean adults with known age and gender were selected for the study (199 males and 126 females) which were taken in the period between January 2009 and June 2014 at the Pusan National University Dental Hospital. The measurements were carried out on both orthopantomographs (OPGs) and intraoral periapical radiographs (IOPRs) of mandibular first molar and the following ratios were calculated: pulp chamber floor height ratio (F/L), pulp chamber ceiling height ratio (R/L), and pulp chamber depth ratio (D/L). Results: The ratios of measurements on intraoral periapical images of mandible first molar generally produce more reliable data than the measurements on OPGs. The pulp chamber floor height ratio and pulp chamber depth ratio showed significant correlation with age, whereas the pulp chamber ceiling height ratios showed weak correlation with age. It was found that the best correlations between the ratios and age were found for pulp chamber depth ratios (r= -0.732 to -0.751). The multiple regression models were derived using 3 ratios that were significantly correlated with age. The determination coefficients (R²) of the models ranged from 0.556 to 0.596. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the pulp chamber depth and pulp chamber floor height in mandibular first molar are an age-dependent variable in adults which can be used to estimate age with reasonable accuracy. The higher image quality of dental radiographs will probably narrow the age estimation error and improve dental age estimation.

Purpose: The purpose of this research was twofold: to compare the short-term efficacy of once-off education versus repetitive education (RE) of patients suffering from temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and to determine whether there was any correlation amongst patient demographics, recommendation adherence degree and pain levels. Methods: A total of 848 patients with TMDs were enrolled. The control group consisted of patients who received a standard conservative treatment (STD) over at least 6 visits with education provided only during the first visit. The experimental group consisted of patients who received STD but had also been given RE (STD+RE). The RE was delivered through a standardized self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ) that was completed by the patient during each visit. Pain, which included maximum comfortable opening (MCO) of the mouth and limitation of mouth opening (LOM), was compared between the two groups. Behavior pattern and reported pain level changes in the group who used the SAQ were also analyzed. Results: The LOM was significantly improved in all of the experimental group patients (especially in females under 30 years of age, p＜0.05). The MCO was significantly higher in females (p=0.029). All of the patients displayed improvements in their habits following RE, which resulted in a strong correlation with pain reduction. Adhering to the recommendations regarding questions 14 and 15 of the SAQ appeared to have the greatest effect on pain reduction. Conclusions: These results clearly demonstrate that RE is more effective than once-off education for TMD patients who are female or under 30 years of age.

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate a correlation among oral hygiene habits, dryness of mouth, and self-perceived oral malodor and therefore to find out self-care methods which could be a help to reduce oral malodor. Methods: A survey of 296 dental undergraduate students of School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, who wrote consents voluntarily and participated in this study, was conducted using a questionnaire consisting of 17 questions and analyzed to investigate a correlation among oral hygiene habits (frequency of tooth brushing, water gargling, and drinking water, etc.), dryness of mouth indicating the amount of salivary secretion, and self-perceived oral malodor. Results: There was no significant correlation between mechanical cleaning factors and self-perceived oral malodor. The factor showing a strong correlation with severe self-perceived oral malodor was dryness of mouth (p=0.000). Conclusions: There was no correlation between mechanical cleaning habits and self-perceived oral malodor. Participants who felt self-perceived oral malodor more tended to have rather good mechanical cleaning habits. The factor showing a strong correlation with severe self-perceived oral malodor was dryness of mouth. Therefore trying to increase salivary secretion is considered to be a help to reduce self-perceived halitosis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate occupational distribution of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) patients and their diagnosis according to occupations and to evaluate the relationship between TMD and occupations. Work-related factors which might aggravate TMD symptoms were also evaluated. Methods: We investigated 316 TMD patients, aged from 13 to 65 years old, who had visited the Department of Oral Medicine in Pusan National University Dental Hospital. The subjects who have a job were assessed using TMD analysis examination and occupation questionnaire. The level of significance was p-value Result: This study presented that the diagnoses according to occupations were not significant, but work-related factors such as verbal work and poor posture were related with TMD symptoms. Conclusions: Proper education is essential to prevent aggravation of TMD symptoms because TMD symptoms were more related to work environment than a specific occupation.

Motivation Analysis of RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data in human saliva is challenging. Lack of standardization and unification of the bioinformatic procedures undermines saliva‘s diagnostic potential. Thus, it motivated us to perform this study. Results We applied principal pipelines for bioinformatic analysis of small RNA-Seq data of saliva of 98 healthy Korean volunteers including either direct or indirect mapping of the reads to the human genome using Bowtie1. Analysis of alignments to exogenous genomes by another pipeline revealed that almost all of the reads map to bacterial genomes. Thus, salivary exRNA has fundamental properties that warrant the design of unique additional steps while performing the bioinformatic analysis. Our pipelines can serve as potential guidelines for processing of RNA-Seq data of human saliva. Availability and implementation Processing and analysis results of the experimental data generated by the exceRpt (v4.6.3) small RNA-seq pipeline (github.gersteinlab.org/exceRpt) are available from exRNA atlas (exrna-atlas.org). Alignment to exogenous genomes and their quantification results were used in this paper for the analyses of small RNAs of exogenous origin.

Received September 24, 2014 Revised October 7, 2014 Accepted October 20, 2014 This review provides an overview of the most commonly used dental age estimation techniques which focus on radiological methods in Korean adults. The literature from 1995 through July 31, 2014, was searched, using PubMed, for publications in English language. In PubMed, the keywords ‘tooth’ OR ‘dental’ AND ‘pulp’ AND ‘age estimation’ were searched. Inclusion criteria was comprised of the following: the subjects were living adults and dental radiography (excluded computed tomography [CT] and cone-beam CT) was used to measure the pulpal size. Twenty articles that met the criteria were selected. The method of age estimation using dental radiographs for measuring pulp and tooth size was represented in all studies. The methods were assorted into three categories generally; Kvaal’s, Ikeda’s and Cameriere’s methods. Those methods had certain limitations such as large error range and low correlation coefficient depending on populations, type of employed teeth and particular method. Various techniques and many studies have been published for age estimation from human teeth using dental radiographs, but those techniques showed various predictability and reliability. Therefore, future studies on larger samples with well-distributed age group using not only existing techniques but new techniques are necessary for deriving convincing results.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of topical sulfasalazine in the treatment of oral lichen planus (OLP) resistant to corticosteroid therapy.Twenty-one unresponsive OLP patients were treated with topical sulfasalazine 3 times a day for 4 weeks. Each patient's symptoms and lesion size were evaluated at the beginning of therapy, and then after 4 weeks to determine the efficacy of topical sulfasalazine. Inflammatory cytokines levels in saliva were measured by ELISA.Seventeen patients (81%) reported improvement of discomfort and 12 patients (57%) had lesions decrease in size over 50%. Patients who had higher levels of IL-1β and IL-8 were more responsive to topical sulfasalazine therapy.Topical sulfasalazine should be considered when OLP does not respond to corticosteroid therapy. Furthermore, high concentrations of IL-1β and IL-8 in the saliva are useful indicators for the application of topical sulfasalazine in OLP patients refractory to steroid treatment.

To evaluate and compare the validity of the PainDETECT, DN4, and abbreviated DN4 (DN4i) neuropathic pain questionnaires for primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), which is a burning sensation in the oral mucosa in the absence of any identifiable organic etiology.Eighty-one patients (42 with primary BMS and 39 with nociceptive pain) complaining of a burning sensation and pain in their oral mucosa were enrolled in this study. All of the patients completed the neuropathic pain questionnaires. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were estimated. Then the relationship between pain intensity and total neuropathic pain score was investigated. Data were analyzed with the chi-square test and independent t test for subjects' baseline characteristic differences, and with Pearson correlation coefficients for the relationship of variables.The mean area under the ROC curves (AUCs) for PainDETECT, DN4, and DN4i were 0.81, 0.79, and 0.81, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the AUCs among the questionnaires. PainDETECT, DN4, and DN4i had a lower sensitivity and specificity for BMS compared to previous validation studies. The total scores for PainDETECT, DN4, and DN4i in the primary BMS group were significantly associated with pain intensity.Although the results of this study suggest that neuropathic pain questionnaires, such as PainDETECT and DN4, are not ideal principal screening tools for BMS patients, a substantial proportion of neuropathic symptoms in primary BMS patients were identified.