Prevalence of taurodontism found in radiographic dental examination of 1,200 young adult Israeli patients.

The prevalence of taurodontism was studied radiographically in 1,200 young adult Israeli patients. In order to differentiate taurodont teeth from normal teeth, three types of taurodontism (meso-, hypo- and hypertaudodontism) were defined in biometric terms, using radiographic features of molar morphology. All three types according to Shaw's classification were seen. Taurodontism was found to occur in 5.6% of 1,200 individuals and in 1.5% of the 10,204 molar teeth examined. The mandibular second molar was found to be the most prone, being involved in two thirds of all cases found. Hypertaurodontism was found only in three cases, in the third molars. The conditions was seen to involve single and multiple teeth, both unilaterally and bilaterally, with the latter being most predominant.

Assessing the dental treatment needs of an adult Israeli military population.

The dental treatment needs of an adult population (career army personnel, Israeli Defence Forces, aged 20 to 46) were determined. A method is described for quantitating total restorative, endodontic, oral surgical, periodontal, and prosthetic treatment needs. The amount, and in some categories the complexity, of treatment required per person increased in proportion to age. The estimated time required per adult (all ages) to complete all dental treatments was approximately 10.5 h, including 1 h for dental hygiene therapy. These data permit calculation of cost and professional personnel needed to treat this population.

Preservation of occlusal vertical dimension in overdentures.

The preextraction record is used to reestablish the occlusal vertical dimension in immediate and in later overdentures. A colored dot on the denture can be used to verify the occlusal vertical dimension after the dentures have been inserted.

The mandibular first premolar as an abutment for distal-extension removable partial dentures: a modified clasp assembly design.

Sound mandibular first premolars can be used as sole abutments for bilateral distal-extension removable partial dentures, if the denture is designed to minimise the torque applied to the abutment teeth. A simplified modification of the conventional torque-releasing clasp-assembly designs is suggested for these teeth. This modification entails a mesial rest on each abutment tooth connected to the distal proximal plate via a lingual bracing arm. A circumferential clasp arm is optional for buccal retention of the removable partial denture. As with conventional designs, the metal framework is designed to permit some rotational tissueward movement of the distal extension bases, yet not compromise the retention and stability of the prosthesis.

Implant-retained mandibular overdentures: a simplified, cost-effective treatment approach.

The use of implant-retained complete overdentures is a viable treatment modality in compromised patients. Use of two separate implants in the mandible enhances the retention and stability of the denture, which is still mainly supported by soft tissues. A technique for clinical fixation of the internal attachment to a laboratory-rebased and tissue-loaded mandibular overdenture is described. The advantages, disadvantages, and the rationale of the treatment are presented.

Anterior implant-supported overdentures.

Retention of complete mandibular dentures can be successfully achieved by means of an implant-retained or natural tooth-retained bar and clip system in the anterior segment of the mandible. The same design principles hold true for both methods of anchoring the retentive bar. These retentive elements must be constructed to allow some freedom of movement around a fulcrum line designed to be perpendicular to the sagittal plane.

Simplified fabrication of orbital prostheses using posterior attachment for the artificial eye.

The ocular component of an orbital prosthesis can be held firmly during fabrication by attaching a plastic needle cover with autopolymerizing acrylic resin to the posterior surface of the eye in the wax-sculpted prosthesis. This index is subsequently embedded in the master cast. Compared with other techniques described in the literature, this technique spares the corneal surface of the artificial eye and allows duplicate fabrication of silicone orbital prostheses in nonmetal durable molds.

Use of complete dentures to stabilize a segmentally resected mandible: a clinical report.

Although edentulous patients with a midline segmental resection of the mandible can rarely be treated prosthodontically, this patient's dental condition was managed with some success. This success may be related to preservation of the floor of the mouth with graft. By maximum extension of the denture borders and an interlocking occlusion, a mutual stabilization of the residual segments and the denture was achieved in the static condition, which improved swallowing, control of drooling, and self-esteem. Because of the independent muscle function of each side of the mandible, mastication could not be restored adequately.

Index to reposition the metal framework accurately on the altered cast.

The relieved portion of a master cast below the major connector of a cast removable partial denture framework can be filled with dental stone to act as a third point of reference when the framework is reseated in an altered cast procedure. With this simple procedure, an index is formed that will allow accurate repositioning of the metal framework on the altered cast.

Selective-pressure impression technique for nasal prostheses.

An impression technique for nasal prostheses that places pressure in the superior regions of the nasolabial sulci is described. The pressure is delivered through a U-shaped frame embedded within the impression. Better adaptation and camouflage of the finished prosthesis is achieved and the improved esthetics enhances the confidence of the patient using a nasal prosthesis.

A technique for the fabrication of the open obturator.

Obturator prostheses are often large and heavy. As an alternative to a lighter hollow obturator, a technique for fabrication of the open obturator has been presented. Use of a removable silicone core facilitates processing, recovery, and polishing of an obturator that is open superiorly.

Clinical applications of visible light-cured resin in maxillofacial prosthetics. Part I: Denture base and reline material.

A visible light-cured resin system enables the dentist to accomplish chairside relining of removable prosthesis. The material is pliable and can be initially cured in the mouth with the regular hand-held visible light. A special unit is needed to completely cure the material, which thereafter is comparable in quality to heat-polymerized acrylic resin. The value of this system for the practice of maxillofacial prosthetics is demonstrated by the ease of relining of various devices and obturator prostheses.

Use of an Adams clasp for a cast unilateral removable partial denture.

A unilateral complete dentition with tight intercuspal contacts complicates the design of the interocclusal retentive elements of a cast removable partial denture. Use of an Adams clasp, which is connected to a predesigned retentive mesh in the metal framework, is suggested as a conservative and economical treatment option in this situation. Guidelines for minimizing the risk of breakage of the Adams clasp are presented.

Clinical applications of visible light-cured resin in maxillofacial prosthetics. Part II: Tray material.

As an alternative to autopolymerizing acrylic resin, visible light-cured resin for custom-made impression trays is advocated. This new system facilitates chairside tray fabrication for custom-made impressions and benefits maxillofacial prosthetic patients needing intraoral or extraoral prosthetic rehabilitation.

The clinical response of 328 private patients to acupuncture therapy.

It is the attempt of this study to determine the efficacy of response to acupuncture at 24 hours, one week, and three week intervals at the end of a series of treatments in 328 patients. Treated for a variety of disorders, approximately 60% had satisfactory responses of up to 3 weeks duration. The 328 patients were classified into 13 categories of problem disorders: headaches, cervical pain, lumbar pain without radiation, lumbar pain with radiation, isolated sciatica, parathoracic pain, knee pain, elbow pain, shoulder pain, gereralized musculoskeletal pains (rheumatism), neurological disorders, and a general miscellaneous category. The problem disorders were then arranged into etiological categories. In general for each problem disorder, except for neurological, the average response ranged in the 60-65% range at the third week interval.

A prosthesis fabrication technique for the edentulous maxillary resection patient.

A technique for making final impressions, registration of jaw relations, and positioning of anterior teeth with the same record bases during the fabrication of an obturator prosthesis is described. By using this technique, a more predictable result may be attained with respect to jaw relations, obturator height, and lip position, all of which may be compromised in the edentulous patient with a postsurgical maxillary defect.