The Application of a 3-Dimensional Printing Technique in Refining the Orthodontic Trans-Palatal Arch

The aim of this article was to describe the process of designing and manufacturing 3D TPAs and to discuss some clinical cases in which 3D TPAs were used. Digital models were acquired by scanning the casts, scanning the PVS impressions or scanning the dentitions directly. The scanning data in a common STL format was used for the computer design that follows. Then, the design instructions were sent to a 3D printer for fabrication. Finally, manual polishing should be performed. Seven clinical cases in which 3D TPAs were used to assist orthodontic treatment were presented and discussed. The presented clinical cases demonstrated that the 3D TPA was a simple, convenient appliance for the patient and the doctor, and thus, might be more cleansable. The 3D TPA could be designed in different types based on the clinical needs of each case. The application of 3D TPA could be expanded, but clinical trials are necessary to verify the advantages reported here

Different regional gray matter loss in recent onset PTSD and non PTSD after a single prolonged trauma exposure.

OBJECTIVE: Gray matter loss in the limbic structures was found in recent onset post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients. In the present study, we measured regional gray matter volume in trauma survivors to verify the hypothesis that stress may cause different regional gray matter loss in trauma survivors with and without recent onset PTSD. METHOD: High resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were obtained from coal mine flood disaster survivors with (n = 10) and without (n = 10) recent onset PTSD and 20 no trauma exposed normal controls. The voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method was used to measure the regional gray matter volume in three groups, the correlations of PTSD symptom severities with the gray matter volume in trauma survivors were also analyzed by multiple regression. RESULTS: Compared with normal controls, recent onset PTSD patients had smaller gray matter volume in left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and non PTSD subjects had smaller gray matter volume in the right pulvinar and left pallidum. The gray matter volume of the trauma survivors correlated negatively with CAPS scores in the right frontal lobe, left anterior and middle cingulate cortex, bilateral cuneus cortex, right middle occipital lobe, while in the recent onset PTSD, the gray matter volume correlated negatively with CAPS scores in bilateral superior medial frontal lobe and right ACC. CONCLUSION: The present study identified gray matter loss in different regions in recent onset PTSD and non PTSD after a single prolonged trauma exposure. The gray matter volume of left dorsal ACC associated with the development of PTSD, while the gray matter volume of right pulvinar and left pallidum associated with the response to the severe stress. The atrophy of the frontal and limbic cortices predicts the symptom severities of the PTSD

Regional gray matter volume correlations with CAPS score in trauma survivors.

<p>In the trauma survivors (n = 20), the gray matter volume significantly and negatively correlated with the CAPS scores in the bilateral superior medial frontal lobe, left anterior and middle cingulate cortex, bilateral cuneus cortex, right middle occipital lobe. (<i>p</i><0.05, corrected at cluster level, with <i>k</i>>100 voxels).</p

Correlations of Gray matter volume with CAPS score in trauma survivors, recent onset PTSD and non PTSD.

<p>corrected at cluster level, p<0.05.</p><p>MNI:Montreal Neurological Institute system.</p><p>PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.</p

Regional gray matter volume correlations with CAPS score in trauma survivors with recent onset PTSD.

<p>In trauma survivors with recent onset PTSD (n = 10), the gray matter volume significantly and negatively correlated with the CAPS scores in the bilateral superior medial frontal lobe and right anterior cingulate cortex (p<0.05, corrected at cluster level, with k>100 voxels).</p

Regional gray matter volume reduction in recent onset PTSD compared with normal controls.

<p>The significant reduction regions in trauma survivors with recent onset PTSD (n = 10) compared with normal controls (n = 20) are rendered onto the standard T1 template of Montreal Neurological Institute. The trauma survivors with recent onset PTSD had a significantly decreased gray matter volume in the left ACC (<i>p</i><0.05, FWE corrected, with <i>k</i>>50 voxels). ACC: anterior cingulate cortex.</p

Gray matter volume differences between recent onset PTSD, non PTSD and normal Controls.

<p>Corrected with Family Wise Error (FWE), p<0.05.</p><p>MNI: Montreal Neurological Institute system.</p><p>PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.</p

Sociodemographic and Volumetric Characteristic of the Sample.

a<p>There is no significant difference in gray matter volume between PTSD group and normal controls, p = 0.07.</p>b<p>There is no significant difference in gray matter volume between non PTSD group and normal controls, p = 0.08.</p><p>PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.</p

Regional gray matter volume changes in trauma survivors without PTSD compared with normal controls.

<p>The significant reduction region in trauma survivors without PTSD compared with normal controls (n = 20) are rendered onto the standard T1 template of Montreal Neurological Institute. Compared with normal controls, trauma survivors without PTSD (n = 10) had significantly decreased gray matter volume in left pallidum and right pulvinar. (<i>p</i><0.05, FWE corrected, with <i>k</i>>50 voxels).</p