Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of an extraoral CBCT-planned 3D-printed surgical guide aimed to percutaneous injection of substances into the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM). Methods: Nine human cadaver heads were used. Pre-planning CBCT and facial scans were obtained and three percutaneous injection sites were planned: one for the lower compartment of the TMJ and two for the LPM. A digital surgical guide was then designed with small titanium sleeves and printed by a 3D printer. After the injections, new CBCT scans with the needles in place were obtained in order to assess the accuracy of the procedure in relation to the virtual planning. Results: The mean values for angle deviation were very low (range 1.13o-4.08o), the same happening for the mean difference in the length reached (range 1.82–2.64 mm), as well as for the mean difference in the needle tip dislocation (range 0.94–2.03 mm). Conclusion: The guide seems to be a reliable tool for accurate percutaneous injection of drugs into the inferior compartment of the TMJ and the LPM. Further studies are necessary to test the efficacy and validate the method in an in vivo study.
The ability to function as an effective member of a dental care team is a highly desirable--frequently mandated--attribute of dental technology (DT) graduates. Currently, there is little rigorous examination of how the learning of team-working skills might best be structured in a DT curriculum. This research compares DT curricula, and students' attitudes and perceptions regarding collaboration in practice, from four countries. Students (n=376) were invited to complete an education profile questionnaire, and the standardised measure--the shared learning scale. There were 196 (52%) responses. Students given opportunities to engage with others had better perceptions of inter-professional learning (IPL). Most believed that team-work and collaborative skills were best acquired by learning together with other dental care professionals, preferably sharing cases for real patients. Curricula should maximise opportunities for dental technology students to experience authentic IPL. Collaboration and team-work needs to be embedded through the whole undergraduate programme.
This paper presents the design and development of a low cost and reliable maximal voluntary bite force sensor which can be manufactured in-house by using an acrylic laser cutting machine. The sensor has been designed for ease of fabrication, assembly, calibration, and safe use. The sensor is capable of use within an hour of commencing production, allowing for rapid prototyping/modifications and practical implementation. The measured data shows a good linear relationship between the applied force and the electrical resistance of the sensor. The output signal has low drift, excellent repeatability, and a large measurable range of 0 to 700 N. A high signal-to-noise response to human bite forces was observed, indicating the high potential of the proposed sensor for human bite force measurement.
Student volunteering is currently being promoted through the Higher Education Active Community Fund, which runs to August 2004 and may be extended further. This development of higher education's 'third mission' has strong links with the government's agenda for citizenship and the active community. This initiative appears to have taken little account of debates concerning both the ideological bases of volunteering, in particular the contested nature of citizenship and social capital, and the practicalities of students volunteering. In an increasingly instrumental climate for higher education this represents a possible strategic flaw. The merits of integrating volunteering activity into the curriculum are discussed through comparison with service-learning in the USA, and illustrations of present practice from a number of UK universities. In conclusion, a case is made for more open and widespread dialogues between higher education institutions, the voluntary sector and policy-makers in exploring service-learning and its role in the curriculum and the community. Contributor details David Hall is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Sociology and teaches and researches in the area of applied social research, volunteering and the voluntary sector, and learning and teaching in sociology. Together with Irene Hall, he is active in community-based learning and is programme director of the M.Sc. in Applied Social and Community Research. He is a partner in two European Framework 5 research programmes on science shops and university-community partnerships for knowledge transfer, and is the Chair of Interchange, the Liverpool science shop equivalent.
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