Color coding periodontal instruments.

Scaling and root planing are probably the most important procedures in periodontal therapy, yet periodontal instrument identification requires visual refocusing from a patient to the tip of an instrument, an inefficient activity in terms of time and ergonomics. For instructors teaching periodontal instrumentation, identifying whether a student is using a correct instrument requires that the instrument be removed from a patient's mouth for inspection. This technique report shows how color coding instruments can simplify the instrument-identification process. Typically, dental professionals in private practice use a series of color-coded bands or collars on instrument handles to keep track of instrument inventory within dental cassettes. In most cases, the instruments within a particular set are assigned one color so that one can easily identify which instrument goes with which set and determine if all instruments within a particular set are present. The author proposes using a series of colors with a specific color identifying a specific instrument. As long as auxiliaries know which colors must be present in a cassette, the practitioner or dental faculty member can easily identify what instrument is required.

The odontology victim identification skill assessment system.

Mass fatality identification efforts involving forensic odontology can involve hundreds of dental volunteers. A literature review was conducted and forensic odontologists and dental educators consulted to identify lessons learned from past mass fatality identification efforts. As a result, the authors propose a skill assessment system, the Odontology Victim Identification Skill Assessment System (OVID-SAS), which details qualifications required to participate on the Antemortem, Postmortem, Ante/Postmortem Comparison, Field, and Shift Leader/Initial Response Teams. For each qualification, specific skills have been identified along with suggested educational pedagogy and skill assessment methods. Courses and assessments can be developed by dental schools, professional associations, or forensic organizations to teach and test for the skills required for dental volunteers to participate on each team. By implementing a system, such as OVID-SAS, forensic odontologists responsible for organizing and managing a forensic odontology mass fatality identification effort will be able to optimally utilize individuals presenting with proven skills.

Sensory responses from loading of implants: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: Osseointegrated implants lack a periodontal ligament. Nevertheless, masticatory function in subjects with implant-supported restorations appears similar to function in those with natural dentition. It is not clear how the neurophysiologic mechanisms that modulate jaw movement are associated with osseointegrated implants. This study examined the output from the inferior alveolar nerve during implant loading. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 3 dogs, 3 premolars were extracted in the mandible and 2 endosseous titanium implants were placed, allowed to osseointegrate for 3 months, and loaded with vibration force at the threshold response for tooth vibration, at 2x threshold, and at 3x threshold. Neurophysiologic recordings were made from the inferior alveolar nerve during loading of both implants and the adjacent molar and canine. The response magnitude in action potentials in the 50- ms poststimulus period and latency of inferior alveolar afferents in milliseconds were compared following implant loading. RESULTS: Detectable inferior alveolar nerve responses were recorded following loading from both the implants and the teeth at 2x and 3x threshold. However, the response magnitude of teeth (canine, 2.38 +/- 0.18 at 2x, 2.78 +/- 0.2 at 3x; molar, 2.2 +/- 0.16 at 2x, 2.5 +/- 0.21 at 3x) was twice that of the implants (anterior, 1.3 +/- 0.12 at 2x, 1.68 +/- 0.13 at 3x; posterior, 0.8 +/- 0.1 at 2x, 1.53 +/- 0.15 at 3x). The differences in response magnitude between the teeth and implants were significant (P < .05). The latency of response was similar. DISCUSSION: Management of the occlusion for implant-supported restorations has been empirically developed. An underlying assumption has been that implant-guided jaw function lacks significant proprioception to modulate mastication and related jaw movements. This animal study provides preliminary evidence that force application to implants does elicit a proprioceptive response. CONCLUSION: Loading of implants does elicit a sensory response that can be observed in the inferior alveolar nerve. The implications are that during occlusal function, information from regions associated with the implant can provide knowledge that could potentially modulate jaw activity in a manner similar to natural teeth.