The purpose of this study was to identify and compare preferences and perceptions of orthodontists and general dentists when restoring peg-shaped lateral incisors. The investigation sought to summarize these preferences with regard to treatment planning, tooth preparation and interdisciplinary communication. A pair of mailed and electronic surveys was distributed to 1,500 general dentists and orthodontists, respectively. The results indicated that general dentists perceived that general dentists held the primary decision-making responsibility, while orthodontists disagreed (P<0.0001). Orthodontists prioritized the treatment goals of Class I canine relationship and overbite/overjet more significantly than general dentists, whom valued tooth proportions more highly (P<0.0001). General dentists reported receiving significantly less input than orthodontists report seeking (P<0.0001).The consensus of both groups showed that the tooth should be positioned centered mesiodistally and guided by the gingival margins incisogingivally. Both groups agree that orthodontists must improve communication to improve treatment results.

Dental hygiene students may struggle in dental hygiene curriculum in regards to hand function. Currently, this is not an aspect dental hygiene programs screen for or have protocol in place to help students. The research in the study examined if hand function could improve with hand function exercises and if exercises improved instrumentation scores. During a 6-week pilot study, an occupational therapist tested the hand function of a cohort of dental hygiene students. The results were recorded and the students began a 6-week hand function exercise regimen. After 6 weeks the same evaluations were preformed and the pre- and posttest data were compared. Statistical tests showed a significant improvement in hand function. After the hand function testing was complete, the scores of the cohort on the periodontal probe and 11/12 explorer were compared to students in the previous 5 cohorts. No significant improvement was made on the instrumentation scores.

Resin-based composite for Class IV restoration is a conservative alternative for maxillary incisor fracture. Little is known about the effect of lingual margin configurations on the longevity of these restorations. This in vitro experiment compared the mean fracture strength among four lingual margin configurations (butt joint, 45° bevel, 60° bevel and chamfer) for Class IV resin-based composite restorations. A total sample size of n=100 human extracted lower incisors were selected, then the teeth were randomly assigned to one of the four lingual margin configuration groups (n=25) and restored with resin-based composite. After thermocycling (5000 cycles, 5°C-55°C with 30 seconds dwell time), they were subjected to inter-incisal static load (135° angulation) until failure (N). Failure mode was determined. In vitro fracture strength was compared among the four groups using one-way ANOVA at alpha=0.05. Mean standard deviation of fracture strength and frequency distribution of failure modes were reported. Results revealed no significant effect on the fracture strength for the type of lingual margin configurations (F(3,96)=0.13; p=0.9435). The data showed that 71% of failure modes resulted in complete tooth fracture (intact restoration), 11% in total adhesive failure, 7% in adhesive only facial, 6% in total cohesive, 4% in cohesive only facial, 1% in avulsion. Fischer’s exact test revealed no statistically significant association (p>0.05) between the margin configurations and failure modes. Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that any of the four lingual margin configurations are acceptable in Class IV preparation in terms of fracture strength under static load.

Objectives: To measure the level of hydrogen peroxide penetration into the pulp chamber and to evaluate its whitening efficacy when the tooth is treated with an innovative double layer of potassium nitrate desensitizing agent and hydrogen peroxide whitening gel. Methods: Extracted human molar teeth (n=160) were collected. Roots were trimmed 3 mm apical to the cemento-enamel junction, the pulp was removed and a cavity prepared, leaving a standardized wall of 2 mm thickness, which retained 100 µL of acetate buffer solution. A standardized whitening area of 6 mm in diameter was established buccally by painting the rest of the tooth with gray nail varnish. The teeth were randomly assigned into four groups. Group 1: no treatment (glycerin gel, negative control); Group 2: double layer of 20 L 5% potassium nitrate (Relief ACP, Philips Oral Healthcare) and 100 L 25% hydrogen peroxide (Zoom Chairside Whitening Gel, Philips Oral Healthcare); Group 3: double layer of 40 L 5% potassium nitrate and 100 L 25% hydrogen peroxide; and Group 4: 100 L 25% hydrogen peroxide (positive control). All groups received three 45-minute sessions of in-office whitening with light activation at 3-day intervals. Hydrogen peroxide penetration was assessed spectrophotometrically using leucocrystal violet and horseradish peroxidase. Color measurements were assessed with VITA Easyshade at baseline, 1-day, and 1-month post-whitening. Tooth color change was measured per Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage methodology. One-way ANOVA with Tukey multiple comparisons adjustment was performed to compare group differences in overall tooth color change (Delta E*) and hydrogen peroxide penetration (type I error = 0.05). Results: Hydrogen peroxide penetration levels were not significantly different between Group 2 and Group 4; however, the levels were significantly higher than Group 1 and Group 3 (p< 0.0001). Groups 2, 3 and 4 showed no differences for overall tooth color change but differed significantly from the negative control group (Group 1) at 1-day and 1-month post-whitening. Conclusions: Hydrogen peroxide penetration was affected when pretreated by potassium nitrate desensitizer; however, the double layer technique did not adversely affect the whitening efficacy.

No description available.

The Muscatine Pediatric Dentistry Clinic (MPDC) at the Muscatine Center for Social Action (MCSA) was established January 4th, 2005. It is a partnership between the MCSA and The University of Iowa's Department of Pediatric Dentistry. MPDC operates Tuesdays (care provided by senior dental students) and Thursdays (care provided by pediatric dentistry residents). Students and residents are supervised by a pediatric dentistry faculty member. MPDC's mission is to provide dental care to low income children residing in Muscatine and Louisa counties, in Iowa. Care includes diagnostic, preventive, restorative, and emergency services. MPDC targets a population that has been traditionally underserved by local dentists including Medicaid-enrolled children and low income children without dental insurance. MPDC offers dental students the opportunity to gain experience treating children with the ultimate goal of increasing the number of practicing general dentists who serve pediatric populations. MPDC completed 6 years of operation on January 4th, 2010. The main goals of this study were to describe patient characteristics, clinical activities and parental satisfaction at the Muscatine clinic and to compare characteristics of the Muscatine clinic to those of the University of Iowa's pediatric dentistry clinic at the College of Dentistry. Clinical activities and patient profile variables for MPDC were reported for the entire fiscal year 2009-10 year. Variables include patient age, gender, type of insurance, number of dental procedures completed, type of treatment received, and number of visits per patient. A satisfaction survey was given to the parent of each patient presenting to the MPDC clinic between November 16th, 2009 and January 17th, 2010. Two broad research questions were addressed in this study: 1) Are parents satisfied with MPDC and the treatment provided to their children? 2) Are there are differences in the population served and treatment provided at the Muscatine clinic and the University of Iowa pediatric dentistry clinic at the College of Dentistry? The results of this study provide information that contributes to a fuller understanding about the population served by MPDC, the treatment received, and parental satisfaction with the clinic. It also compares characteristics of the Muscatine clinic to the University of Iowa's pediatric dentistry clinic at the College of Dentistry. The results of this study may help guide MPDC staff and the University of Iowa's Department of Pediatric Dentistry in future decision-making regarding clinic activities and dental school curriculum.

Certain Operative Dentistry skill sets, such as bonding procedures, do not require a refined psychomotor skill level as much as a mastery of the concepts, placement and timing requirements of the bonding procedure. Procedures such as these may lend themselves well to the interactive media style that today's students are so familiar with in a computer module "gaming" format.

Objectives: Evaluate and assess the effect of an innovative double layer, single application desensitizing/whitening technique on Nitrate penetration and total color change. Methods: Specimens were prepared from extracted caries free human molars (n=160). Teeth were randomly assigned into four groups: 100μl 25% hydrogen peroxide “Philips Zoom chairside” as control group (CTRL), double layer treatment of 20μl 5% potassium nitrate “Relief ACP, Philips oral care” and 100μl 25% hydrogen peroxide (DL20), double layer treatment of 40μl 5% potassium nitrate and 100μl 25% hydrogen peroxide (DL40), and one layer treatment of 40 μl 5% potassium nitrate (PN40). Spectrophotometric color measurements (Vita EasyShade) were done at base line (T0), one day (T1), and one month (T2) following the treatment. Nitrate penetration was measured using a nitrate/nitrite assay kit. Group comparisons of tooth color difference measurements, and nitrate penetration readings were made using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Adjustment was made for pairwise treatment comparisons using the Tukey method in conjunction with an overall 0.05 level of significance. Results: 160 teeth were used. Color difference (ΔE) results at (T1) and (T2) showed no significant difference among the CTRL, DL20, DL40 groups. But there was a statistical significant difference between those groups and the single layer (PN40) group (p

This study is aimed to better understand how and why people choose dental school faculty as their oral healthcare provider. Increasing financial constrains in the U.S. dental schools has led dental schools to find an alternative funding sources and revenues from dental school faculty practice can be one of them. To effectively promote faculty practice, it is necessary to understand how and why people choose dental school faculty as their oral care provider. In addition, it is important to differentiate characteristics of comprehensive care patients and limited care patients since dental school faculty practices have a higher proportion of specialists. A survey of 1150 dental school faculty practice patients who recently chose their dentist was conducted and 221 responded. Information sources highly used and rated included other dentist, friends, family, clinic website, the Internet, and the insurance directory. Dentist related attributes that were perceived important included quality of care, professional competence of dentist, and explanation of treatment/you participate in the treatment decision. Dental practice related attributes that were perceived important included ability to get appointments at convenient times, reasonable waiting time to get appointments, and attitude/helpfulness of staff. Among the respondents, 121 pursued a comprehensive care and 93 pursued a limited care. The two groups differed in terms of demographics, other characteristics, and dentist selection. The comprehensive care patients were younger, highly educated, related to healthcare related profession, and to have private dental insurance (p<0.001). The comprehensive care patients were more likely to use and highly rate information sources such as clinic website, the Internet, and the insurance directory (p<0.001). They put more value on attributes such as the dentist is in my insurance network and convenient physical location (p<0.001). This study has shown that traditionally popular (family, friends) and newly emerging information sources (the Internet, clinic website, and insurance directory) were used and perceived important by dental school faculty practice patients. A dental school or dentist can use this study's findings to promote their practice to select appropriate communication channels and focus on attributes that dental consumers value the most. It is also important to apply different strategies to different consumer groups.

Objective The goal of this project was to define and measure human volumetric airway dimensions with radiographic volumetric three-dimensional imaging and digital reconstruction of the pharynx using cone beam computed tomography to directly correlate these measurements with both normal and developmentally deficient jaw joints and their positions. The volume of the oropharynx was measured by creating a superior border connecting the 3-D midpoint of sella turcica and the posterior nasal spine and extending inferiorly to the level connecting the most infero-anterior point of C3 and the anterior hyoid bone as seen in the multi-planar views of the cone beam computed tomography image. The calculations were accomplished by using 3dMD software. Further extrapolation of this study'a data may be useful to establish the direct association of obstructive sleep apnea and deficiencies of jaw growth and airway development. Design In this retrospective study, 250 subjects were randomly selected from a pool of 800 referred for dental imaging at ddi Imaging Center in Sacramento, California. Digital images were captured using a low-radiation, rapid scanning cone beam computed tomography system (iCAT). Results A total of 250 subjects, 163 females and 87 males, were included in this study. Descriptive statistics were applied to the following variables: 1. Assessment of the relationship between total airway volume and several categorically independent variables: * For total airway volume, no significant difference was found between males and females; between the right temporomandibular positions; between right temporomandibular integrity; or between the left temporomandibular integrity. * There was a significant difference found between the left temporomandibular positions for total airway volume. 2. Assessment of the relationship between total airway volume and each cephalometric measurement: * Based on the Spearman correlation test, there were significant increasing relationships between total airway volume and several of the cephalometric measurements (p<0.05). * Correlation coefficients ranged from 0.13 to 0.22 indicating there were weak correlations between the two variables. 3. Assessment of the relationship between total airway volume and age: * Based on the Spearman correlation test, there was no significant relationship between total airway volume and age (p=0.8304). In addition, Spearman correlation showed no correlation between total airway volume and sex and skeletal growth pattern tendencies. Conclusions Three dimensional images of the airway offer the opportunity to serially examine individuals, acquire airway patency information, and improve the evaluation of sites of airway obstruction. Further studies to determine the effects of pharyngeal stenosis and other regional changes to the oropharynx upon physiologic response may be key to understanding the effects of biomechanical influences upon craniofacial form. Comprehension of structural inter-relationships will also help develop an understanding of how and why adaptive changes in airway shape and volume occur. Airway patency is related to many variables: head posture, the direction of mandibular rotation during growth and development, and hyoid bone position. Further studies may offer an increased understanding of these structural and positional interrelationships.