A conceptual framework for an oral cancer awareness campaign in Northern Germany - Challenges in campaign development and assessment.

Initial impetus for action: Oral cancer is still an underestimated disease in terms of incidence as well as mortality rates; it requires urgent prevention and early detection. At present, there is no best-practice systematic approach to raising awareness and informing the public about about this type of cancer in Germany. This article describes a framework that covers the significant stages of conceptual development and campaign design to promote oral cancer awareness in Germany. Solution: The challenges of the development, as well as evaluation of an oral cancer awareness campaign are shared in this article. Four key stages of the campaign are defined: (1) mass media, (2) target groups, (3) health care professionals, and (4) epidemiology. For each section, the following levels of assessment are proposed: (a) campaign development (formative assessment), (b) controlling and optimising campaign implementation (process assessment) and (c) measuring outcomes (summative assessment). Outcome: A process-oriented assessment concept for each of the four campaign sections was developed and merged to form a matrix, which includes each of the above sections regarding the prevention and early detection of oral cancer, as well as the three stages of campaign assessment. Future implications and learning points: The conceptual framework demonstrated that systematic planning and evaluation of different components helped to describe and evaluate an oral cancer campaign: For future campaigns, the use of a matrix covering different campaign targets as well as the entire campaign process, is recommended as a basis for campaign design and evaluation.

Using an audience response system to improve learning success in practical skills training courses in dental studies - a randomised, controlled cross-over study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to examine whether the use of an audience response system (ARS) in a high-quality study design, in a course in pre-clinical dentistry leads to an improvement in cognitive and psycho-motor performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As part of the Phantom Course I, a randomised, controlled study in cross-over design with 63 students was conducted over 4 weeks. The intervention was carried out by means of an ARS (TurningPoint(®) ), while a verbal question-and-answer session was conducted within the control group. Differences in learning success were determined via a formative multiple-choice (MC) test (cognitive) and a summative practical test (psycho-motor). RESULTS: Both groups achieved significantly better results in the MC tests with the use of the intervention, when compared with the control group (group A 11.6 vs. 9.5 and group B 13.7 vs. 12.1, maximum 16 points). A further analysis of the results showed that the overall effect was induced primarily by a marked improvement in below-average students. The practical tests showed no clear effect. Despite the careful selection and set-up of the conditions for the study in the regular course of the semester, a cohort effect emerged. This was due to varying degrees of performance between the two groups, because no adequate performance parameters were available, which could have been taken into account for the stratified randomisation. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the use of the ARS leads to better results in cognitive performance, especially where independent learning is required and should be encouraged. Weaker students in particular seem to benefit.

Recent trends in incidence and mortality of oral and pharyngeal cancer in Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany.

OBJECTIVE: Oral and pharyngeal cancer is still a serious public health problem with more than 10,000 new cases every year in Germany, more than 4,000 patients die of this tumour each year. Aim of the project was a detailed analysis on incidence and mortality rates by age, gender and tumour sites in Northern Germany. METHODS: The data on incidence and mortality rates from the population-based Cancer Registry of Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany were evaluated by age, gender and tumour sites from 2000 to 2006. RESULTS: Some 3,127 new cases of oral and pharyngeal cancer (72% men, 28% women) were registered. About half of all cases were aged 60-79 years. The incidence trends for 40-59 years described a slight decrease. Trends for pharyngeal cancer showed the highest incidence rates for both genders in those aged 60-79. This detailed analysis with subgroups showed interesting differences and revealed considerable variations, especially compared to the increasing trends in several European countries. CONCLUSIONS: These population-based data of Schleswig-Holstein showed interesting differences in the trends for incidence and mortality rates for age groups and tumour sites within the state and compared to the national German data and revealed noticeable different trends compared to several European countries. This population-based information informs effective cancer control.

Clinical longevity of removable partial dentures retained by telescopic crowns: outcome of the double crown with clearance fit.

PURPOSE: It was the aim of this study to investigate the long-term success of a telescopic crown system that can be used for both rigid and resilient support and to evaluate by means of a literature review whether the use of resilient support may be advantageous compared to other double crown systems when the restoration is placed on only a few remaining teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patient records were used to evaluate 125 dentures (with 460 abutment teeth) based on the Marburg double crown system. The loss of abutment teeth, endodontic treatment, and fracture of the metallic framework were investigated with regard to the different types of denture support. RESULTS: The probability that a patient would have kept all abutment teeth was 84% after 5 years and 66% after 10 years. No significant differences were found for the two groups "resilient support" (< or = three abutment teeth) and "rigid support" (> or = four abutment teeth). For abutment teeth with a double crown with clearance fit, the risk of loss was 4% after 5 years and 15% after 10 years for rigid support, and 10% and 24%, respectively, for resilient support. The risk of endodontic treatment was 7% after 5 years and 9% after 10 years for rigid support, and 3% and 7%, respectively, for resilient support. None of the denture frameworks showed a fracture during the observation period. CONCLUSION: Removable partial dentures retained by double crowns with clearance fit and constructed without major or minor connectors provide good clinical longevity. The survival rates of abutment teeth were comparable to those reported in the literature for other double crown systems. There was no significant increase of the risk of abutment loss when the restoration was placed on three or fewer remaining teeth and the concept of resilient support was applied.

A telescopic crown concept for the restoration of the partially edentulous arch: the Marburg double crown system.

PURPOSE: This article describes the concept of the Marburg double crown system (MDC system) in the treatment of partially edentulous patients. Long-term success is assessed by a review of patient records. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Double crowns with clearance fit are used to retain tooth-, mucosa-, and implant-supported removable partial dentures (RPD). To achieve retention, an additional attachment, the TC-SNAP system, is used. All metal components are fabricated in a single cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy; the framework (including outer crowns) is cast in one piece. Because of the framework's rigidity, the RPD can be constructed without major and minor connectors. The denture base adjacent to the abutments is fabricated using a perioprotective design that is similar to fixed partial dentures. One hundred eleven dentures, of which 49 (44%) were fabricated for patients with intraoral defects, were evaluated by reviewing patient records. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients at the time of insertion was 57.5 years (+/- 12.3). The mean number of double crowns per denture was 3.5 +/- 2.1 (range, 1 to 9). The probability that a patient will have lost all abutment teeth 10 years after insertion of the denture is 4%. The probability that a patient will have kept all teeth that abut the denture 5 years after insertion is 87%; 10 years after insertion the probability is 80%. CONCLUSION: The Marburg double crown system is a versatile and successful means of achieving the long-term restoration of the partially edentulous jaw. Insertion and removal of the denture and routine oral hygiene are easy to perform, even for patients with limited manual dexterity. As a full-arch reconstruction, the MDC system enables easy adjustment, modification, and relining with low follow-up costs.

[Non-invasive method of measuring dentin resistance to the limit of the preparation depth]. / Nicht-invasive Methode der Dentinwiderstandsmessung zur Begrenzung der Präparationstiefe.

Electrical resistance measurements may be used to determine the situation of the pulp horn tips of teeth prepared for crown restorations. The resistance value recorded for these sites of minimum dentin thickness depends on the thickness of the dentin layer and the degree of tooth development. A resistance value of 25 k omega revealed dentin thickness of 0.7-1.45 mm. The teeth of younger patients had thicker dentin layers than those of older patients.