A dental esthetic checklist for treatment planning in esthetic dentistry.

A dental esthetic checklist form has been introduced for use in the diagnostic work-up of a patient accepted for treatment in an Advanced Education in General Dentistry program. The checklist, divided into seven basic criteria, is not a complete list of all possible categories and nuances that an esthetic restorative assessment might include. The correct initial identification of these criteria does not limit the dentist from pursuing more detail; in fact, this checklist is an introductory organizer that invites further exploration. In the authors' experience, the use of this form prompts the student to broaden his or her vision from purely a dental/periodontal focus to one that encompasses lip, cheek, and tongue configurations; smile; facial features; and related planes of symmetry. This approach directs the dental treatment plan toward the important additional goal of dentofacial harmony.

The effect of fiber dowel heights in resin composite cores on restoration failures of endodontically treated teeth.

In vitro and in vivo testing suggest that fiber posts may reduce the incidence of root fractures of endodontically treated teeth. The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the effect of fiber post height in resin composite cores on the fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth. Forty maxillary central incisors were randomly divided into 2 control groups (Groups 1 and 2) of 5 teeth each, and 3 experimental groups (Groups 3, 4, and 5) of 10 teeth each. The teeth in Group 1 had their opening restored with composite resin, the teeth in Group 2 were restored with quartz fiber posts without resin composite cores, and the teeth in Groups 3, 4, and 5 were restored with quartz fiber posts of 2, 4, and 6 mm high, respectively, in 6-mm resin composite cores. Ceramic crowns were fabricated for the specimens. Specimens were positioned in a mounting device and aligned at a 130-degree angle to the long axis of each tooth. A universal testing machine was used to apply constant load at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min until failure occurred. The highest fracture load and mode of failure of each specimen was recorded. The highest fracture resistance force was observed in Group 2 (290.38 +/- 48.45 N) and decreased, respectively, in Group 1 (238.98 +/-26.26 N), Group 5 (228.35 +/-58.79 N), Group 4 (221.43 +/-38.74 N), and Group 3 (199.05 +/-58.00 N). According to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's test (P < or = .05), there was no statistically significant increase in the force from Group 3 to Group 5, and the force in Group 2 was significantly higher than that of the experimental groups. There was no statistical significance difference in force among the experimental groups, and the amount of residual tooth structure was found to be the critical factor in fracture resistance. The results suggest that endodontically treated teeth should be restored with the longest possible post height while preserving maximum tooth structure.

Student learning preferences and teaching implications.

One of the most serious challenges that dental educators face today is improving the level of student satisfaction with the curriculum and learning environment. To determine whether a particular teaching method might enhance student satisfaction with the learning process, a learning preference survey linked to sensory modalities was given to students in the four classes of the Temple University School of Dentistry. New Zealand educator Neil Fleming developed the survey called VARK (an acronym for Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic) in 1998. The purpose of this study was to measure the distribution of learning preference mean scores of the dental students and note any significant differences among classes, gender, and a sample population determined using 31,243 participants on the VARK website. Results clearly demonstrate that the dominant preference distributions for the two populations (dental student and sample population) are different. In particular, the proportions of learners who selected visual or kinesthetic are significantly different for the two populations, while the proportions of learners who selected aural or read/write are not significantly different. Dental students prefer visual learning at a higher percentage and kinesthetic learning at a lower percentage than the sample population measured in the VARK website. Inter-class differences varied, and gender differences were not significant. The distribution of dental student scores shows a preference for instructors who use strong visual presentations and facilitate note-taking during lectures. Dental educators should be aware of these differences in order to explore opportunities for making the educational experience more productive and enjoyable.