Recently, absorbable plates have been used for various types of facial fractures. However, in the case of mandibular fractures, a large amount of force is applied after fixation. Thus, a firm fixation is necessary. In particular, unfavorable fractures are more frequent in mandibular fractures. Therefore, plates should be strong enough to withstand forces at the time of surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine clinical efficacy and usefulness of unsintered hydroxyapatite (u-HA)/poly (l-lactide) (PLLA) composite system by clinical application and follow-up of fixation in patients with mandible fracture. A total of 13 patients with mandible fractures were assessed for compliance with the selection criteria. Fracture site was confirmed with radiographic findings including X-ray and facial computed tomography images. Subjects who fulfilled all criteria underwent operation using HA/PLLA composite fixation system (OSTEOTRANS; Takiron Co Ltd, Osaka, Japan). After reduction of fracture site through oral or skin incision, we placed OSTEOTRANS plates on fracture line and performed rigid fixation with OSTEOTRANS-MX screws. Follow-up was performed at 1 week, 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Occlusion and mouth opening were checked by physical examination and radiographic finding. We also confirmed bone approximation status, bony gap change, and bone union status. All patients finished every follow-up. They were satisfied with outcomes without complications such as malocclusion, foreign body sensation, or tenderness. This study confirms that OSTEOTRANS can be used appropriately for mandibular fractures.

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to retrospectively investigate the association of diseases having an influence on inhibition of angiogenesis such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, hypercholesterolemia, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with the development of osteonecrosis of the jaws.Materials and MethodsThe 135 patients were allocated into 4 groups of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) group (1A); non-BRONJ group (1B); osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) group (2A); and control group (2B), according to histologic results and use of bisphosphonate. This retrospective study was conducted with patients who were treated in one institute from 2012 to 2013. Fisher's exact test and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the odds ratios of diseases having an influence on inhibition of angiogenesis for development of ONJ.ResultsThe effects of diabetes and hypertension were not statistically significant on development of ONJ. When not considering bisphosphonate use, RA exhibited a high odds ratio of 3.23 (P=0.094), while hyperlipidemia showed an odds ratio of 2.10 (P=0.144) for development of ONJ. More than one disease that had an influence on inhibition of angiogenesis showed a statistically significant odds ratio of 2.54 (P=0.012) for development of ONJ.ConclusionPatients without diseases having an influence on inhibition of angiogenesis were at less risk for developing ONJ.

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The topic of patient safety has recently gained attention across healthcare institutes. Building a broad awareness of patient safety issues among dental care personnel, thus establishing a sound patient safety culture, has beneficial prophylactic effects on the quality assurance of dental care services. This study examines the adequacy and validity of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) questionnaire developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) for application to Korean dental care institutes. Methods: The HSOPSC, which is a self-administered questionnaire survey, was administered to dental care workers who participated in the 2011 Dental Care Quality Assurance Symposium. The reliability and construct validity of the questionnaire were tested using STATA 11.0; factor, reliability, and correlation analyses were performed. Results: Awareness of patient safety was dealt with in 10 subareas comprising 38 items. The 10 subareas were included patient safety policy at the institute level, open communication, patient safety-related expectations and behaviors of managers, frequency of reporting on patient safety-related incidents, and teamwork within the department. Both the construct validity and internal consistency of each factor were confirmed to be adequate. Conclusions: The results of the adequacy test for the application of this questionnaire to dental care institutes revealed that most items had a certain level of validity and reliability. However, it is necessary to reflect upon the specificity of dental care services to assess patient safety culture within dental care institutes more accurately.