Robert McKerlie

Developments in autotransplantation of teeth

Transplantation of teeth has been done for hundreds of years. In the late 18th and early 19th century transplants of teeth between individuals were relatively common at specialist dental practices in London. Surprisingly tooth allotransplants have been found to last 6 years on average. In Scandinavia during the 1950 and 1960s autotransplantation of teeth began to be carried out under increasingly controlled conditions. These have proved to be very successful in long term studies with autotransplants surviving up to 45 years post-surgery. Recent developments in cone beam CT and rapid 3D prototyping have enabled the fabrication of accurate surgical templates which can be used to prepare the recipient site immediately prior to transplantation. This has resulted in a drastically reduced extra-oral time for the transplant teeth which can be expected to improve success rates further. Autotransplants provide significant advantages compared to single tooth implants and should be considered the treatment of choice in the growing child.

Autotransplantation of an immature premolar, with the aid of cone beam CT and computer-aided prototyping: a case report.

UNLABELLED Autotransplantation of immature teeth has good survival rates, and has benefits over ossointegrated implants in the growing child, but is very technique sensitive. Spiral CT imaging has been previously used in adult patients to enable computer-aided prototyping to produce a surgical template of the donor tooth, further increasing success rates. CASE REPORT The case presented describes management of a 9-year-old girl with the combination of hypodontia affecting the upper lateral incisors as well as a severely ectopic maxillary canine. Cone beam CT was used in combination with computer-aided prototyping to produce a surgical template of an immature mandibular second premolar. The surgical template was used to prepare the transplant site before the donor tooth was extracted, greatly reducing the time from extraction to implantation. By 6 months posttransplant the tooth was clinically sound, and continued root development and laying down of dentine was visible radiographically. DISCUSSION This paper demonstrates the use of a novel technique to aid the surgical procedure of autotransplantation of immature premolar teeth. The use of autotransplantation in this case allowed the difficult situation of two missing units in the upper left quadrant to be reduced to one unit, while retaining symmetry in the upper arch. Compared to previous studies, the use of cone beam CT to create a 3D prototype reduced radiation dose compared to spiral CT and drastically reduced the extra-oral time of the donor tooth from extraction to transplantation.

Teaching periodontal pocket charting to dental students: a comparison of computer assisted learning and traditional tutorials

Aim The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a computer assisted learning (CAL) programme with that of traditional small group tutorials in teaching theoretical and practical aspects of periodontal pocket charting.Method Sixty-one third year undergraduate dental students were randomized to either receive a tutorial or to work through the CAL programme. Students using the CAL programme completed questionnaires relating to previous computer experience and the ease of use of the programme. All students were assessed immediately after the intervention by means of a confidence log, a practical exercise and a further confidence log. They were assessed again three weeks later by means of a confidence log and a multiple-choice written test.Results There were very few significant differences between groups for any of the assessments used. However, subjective comments indicated that students occasionally felt disadvantaged if they had not received a tutorial.Conclusion CAL and traditional teaching methods are equally effective in teaching periodontal pocket charting to undergraduate dental students.

Nanoimprinting of biomedical polymers reduces candidal physical adhesion

Management of fungal biofilms represents a significant challenge to healthcare. As a preventive approach, minimizing adhesion between indwelling medical devices and microorganisms would be an important step forward. This study investigated the anti-fouling capacity of engineered nanoscale topographies to the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. Highly ordered arrays of nano-pit topographies were shown to significantly reduce the physical adherence capacity of C. albicans. This study shows a potential of nanoscale patterns to inhibit and prevent pathogenic biofilm formation on biomedical substrates.

The simulation of dental fluorosis

Dental fluorosis occurs when excess fluoride is incorporated into the enamel of developing teeth, resulting in a mottled appearance on eruption. The effects can range from mild white striations to more severe pitting and staining. In recent years there has been an increase in the prevalence of dental fluorosis, which is probably linked to an increase in fluoride intake during tooth development. One of the key questions in dental public health concerns the appropriate level of exposure to fluoride at a young age. There is clear evidence that water fluoridation is associated with a decrease in the prevalence of tooth decay, but this health benefit has to be weighed against the potential side effects, one of which is dental fluorosis. Outside areas of naturally high water fluoride levels fluorosis is almost invariably mild, but relatively little is known about the true aesthetic impact of this condition, especially amongst the general public. Previous research on public perception of mild fluorosis is unconvincing due to the use of unrealistic images in the assessments (see Edwards et al. [2005]). We used realistic views of a single model with healthy teeth and then digitally modifying the teeth to simulate the appearance of dental fluorosis. These images were then presented to teenage members of the general public via a web-site interface and their appearance was rated using a questionnaire.

Student perceptions of syndicate learning

This paper describes the implementation of syndicate learning (tutor-less group working) to teach the basic principles and skills of removable partial denture design within an undergraduate dental curriculum at the University of Glasgow. Student perceptions of syndicate group learning were collected through using questionnaires with Likert scales and through focus group interviews. The majority of students expressed positive views of syndicate learning that focused on the following themes: the added value of the group in terms of learning and in terms of social cohesion; the sense of responsibility to peers that led them to work harder; the autonomy of tutor-less groups that led them to improve their ability to justify their work; and the effectiveness of the syndicate groups in comparison with other learning methods. On the basis of these findings along with reports from students that learning about group roles enhanced their preparation for future work, we argue that syndicate learning can offer some valuable benefits to the undergraduate dental curriculum.

Student perceptions of syndicate learning: tutor-less group work within an undergraduate dental curriculum: Student perceptions of syndicate learning

This paper describes the implementation of syndicate learning (tutor-less group working) to teach the basic principles and skills of removable partial denture design within an undergraduate dental curriculum at the University of Glasgow. Student perceptions of syndicate group learning were collected through using questionnaires with Likert scales and through focus group interviews. The majority of students expressed positive views of syndicate learning that focused on the following themes: the added value of the group in terms of learning and in terms of social cohesion; the sense of responsibility to peers that led them to work harder; the autonomy of tutor-less groups that led them to improve their ability to justify their work; and the effectiveness of the syndicate groups in comparison with other learning methods. On the basis of these findings along with reports from students that learning about group roles enhanced their preparation for future work, we argue that syndicate learning can offer some valuable benefits to the undergraduate dental curriculum.

Student perceptions of syndicate learning: Tutor-less group work within an undergraduate dental curriculum

This paper describes the implementation of syndicate learning (tutor-less group working) to teach the basic principles and skills of removable partial denture design within an undergraduate dental curriculum at the University of Glasgow. Student perceptions of syndicate group learning were collected through using questionnaires with Likert scales and through focus group interviews. The majority of students expressed positive views of syndicate learning that focused on the following themes: the added value of the group in terms of learning and in terms of social cohesion; the sense of responsibility to peers that led them to work harder; the autonomy of tutor-less groups that led them to improve their ability to justify their work; and the effectiveness of the syndicate groups in comparison with other learning methods. On the basis of these findings along with reports from students that learning about group roles enhanced their preparation for future work, we argue that syndicate learning can offer some valuable benefits to the undergraduate dental curriculum.