The human face represents a small proportion of the body’s surface; but it embodies our social identities and is a major vehicle for interpersonal communication. Facial appearance reflects inherited characteristics on which may be...
Diagnosis is a Greek word that means discern or distinguish; thus, diagnosis is a cognitive experience. The diagnostic process was originally based on interrogation, inspection, auscultation, olfaction and palpation. With advancement in medical...
Conceptually, a provisional prosthesis for an edentulous patient is a convenient tool that offers the patient a satisfactory level of function and esthetic appearance while definitive treatment is undertaken...
Treatment planning for the edentulous patient requires a diagnostic tooth arrangement which provides valuable information for pre-surgical planning (surgical guide fabrication), facilitates discussion regarding...
The primary goal of creating a preliminary teeth arrangement for a try-in diagnostic evaluation is the opportunity to visualize those specific morphological features that impact functional and esthetic considerations for each treated patient...
Tomography represents 2-D images of a slice through an object. Computerized tomography (CT) can produce virtual slices and conventional CTs take slice by slice and the machine stops and moves in between slices. Spiral/helical CTs are continuous scans in a...
Radiation source collimated at its source and then diverges into a fan shape to reach detectors. This results in a cone beam.
Pixel (picture + element) is the smallest single component of a 2-D image, whereas a voxel is the smallest element...
When obtaining a panoramic film, one must be aware of the importance of following proper technique and carefully positioning the patient's skull between the X-ray generator and the film. Rotation of the film and radiation source often occurs along a...
Intra-oral radiography can provide sufficiently diagnostic information regarding a dentition and also, in many instances, also yield the necessary pre-surgical planning information for implant surgery. If panoramic radiography is not available...
Because any form or radiation can impose a risk, patient history and clinical examination should be performed first to ensure that the right kind of imaging is sought and unhelpful imaging is avoided.
The four main types of imaging tools utilized, and...
Epithelial desquamation in the oropharynx limits bacterial accumulation, except on the tongue dorsum and in the tonsillar crypts. Loss of teeth dramatically reduces the load of periodontal pathogens except for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and to a...
Saliva plays a significant role in the preservation and maintenance of oral health and function. It supports digestion by preparing food for mastication and swallowing, contributes to taste perception, facilitates speech communication and provides oral tissues...
The gingiva is tightly connected to the underlying periosteum. It is globally keratinized and has a stippled surface. Its color varies from pink to brown or even black, depending on race and/or melanin deposits. It can be distinguished from alveolar mucosa, which...
Most patients’ mouth opening readily permits access for routine prosthodontic and surgical treatment interventions. Limited mouth opening or microstomia is encountered in patients exposed to sclerodermia, diffuse systemic...
Optimal esthetic treatment outcomes require a harmonious reconciliation between lip morhology and teeth positioning. Lips provide a picture frame for the anterior teeth that support them; with mouth size and labial contours depending on genetically...
