Effect of Different Splint Thicknesses on Occlusal Function and Temporomandibular Joint Sounds:A Clinical Report

Background: Occlusal splint therapy, which is a conservative approach to treat temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and bruxism, can change the occlusal contact of dentition. However, little is known about the variation in bite force and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sounds. The objective of this case report is to compare the effects of different splint thicknesses constructed by vacuum lamination technology on occlusal function and TMJ sounds. Clinical Presentation: This study presents a 24-year-old male with bruxism. Four splints of different thicknesses (0.6 mm, 1 mm, 2.5 mm and 3 mm) were fabricated and tested. Then, an array of occlusal data were recorded and analyzed by the T-Scan?III system and joint vibration analysis (JVA). Conclusion: The results reveal that splints of different thicknesses manufactured by the vacuum hot-lamination apparatus may cause a change in occlusal force.

Prognostic nomograms for young breast cancer:A retrospective study based on the SEER and METABRIC databases

Background:Young breast cancer(YBC)is a subset of breast cancer that is often more aggressive,but less is known about its prognosis.In this study,we aimed to generate nomograms to predict the overall survival(OS)and breast cancer‐specific survival(BCSS)of YBC patients.Methods:Data of women diagnosed with YBC between 2010 and 2020 were obtained from the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database.The patients were randomly allocated into a training cohort(n=15,227)and internal validation cohort(n=6,526)at a 7:3 ratio.With the Cox regression models,significant prognostic factors were identified and used to construct 3‐,5‐,and 10‐year nomograms of OS and BCSS.Data from the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium(METABRIC)database were used as an external validation cohort(n=90).Results:We constructed nomograms incorporating 10 prognostic factors for OS and BCSS.These nomograms demonstrated strong predictive accuracy for OS and BCSS in the training cohort,with C‐indexes of 0.806 and 0.813,respectively.The calibration curves verified that the nomograms have good prediction accuracy.Decision curve analysis demonstrated their practical clinical value for predicting YBC patient survival rates.Additionally,we provided dynamic nomograms to improve the operability of the results.The risk stratification ability assessment also showed that the OS and BCSS rates of the low‐risk group were significantly better than those of the high‐risk group.Conclusions:Here,we generated and validated more comprehensive and accurate OS and BCSS nomograms than models previously developed for YBC.These nomograms can help clinicians evaluate patient prognosis and make clinical decisions.