Art in medical education: Especially plastic surgery

The importance of art studies in the training of plastic surgeons has not been well recognized. Presently, very few medical schools offer courses on art or include it in the humanities. Because the study of art is a great experience that helps to develop the trained eye, the inclusion of art in medical education is recommended. For plastic and aesthetic surgeons, art knowledge can greatly add to the development of surgical skill. Courses in drawing, modeling, and casting are recommended along with lectures or seminars on art appreciation.Delivered as the Nojarova Lecture at the New York Academy of Medicine, the New York Regional Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, March 3, 1990. Also given at the Italian-American Conference of Plastic Surgeons, Venice, Italy, September 23, 1990     

Redefining our protocol of the orthognathic surgery-first approach after 10 years of experience

The objective of this study was to update and redefine some concepts of the surgery-first (SF) approach, regarding its indications and contraindications, virtual planning work-up, surgical tips, and postoperative orthodontic benefits, after 10 years of experience. A retrospective analysis was made of orthognathic surgical procedures following the SF protocol between January 2010 and December 2019 to review inclusion and exclusion criteria, diagnostic workflow, surgical tips, and postoperative outcomes. A total of 148 SF procedures were performed during this period, which corresponded to only 9.2% of the total orthognathic surgeries performed, which means that we have broadened the exclusion criteria instead of reducing them. Surgical tips include interdental corticotomies solely in cases of anterior crowding and leaving the intermaxillary fixation miniscrews in place postoperatively for orthodontic skeletal anchorage. The mean duration of postoperative orthodontic treatment was reduced in comparison to conventional surgery (36.8 vs 87.5 weeks). The overall degree of satisfaction was high not only for the patients, but also for the orthodontists and surgeon. SF is especially indicated for patients who desire an immediate aesthetic result, with short-term orthodontics, or for treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders, if they meet the established criteria.     

Curing potential and color stability of different resin-based luting materials

PurposeTo determine the curing potential and color stability of resin-based luting materials for aesthetic restorations.Material and MethodsFour resin-based luting agents were tested: traditional dual-activated resin cement (RelyX ARC, ARC), amine-free dual-activated resin cement (RelyX Ultimate, ULT), light-activated resin cement (RelyX Veneer, VEN), and pre-heated restorative resin composite (Filtek Supreme, PHC). Degree of C = C conversion was determined by infrared spectroscopy (n = 3) with direct light exposure or with interposition of 1.5-mm-thick ceramic (e.max Press HT) between the luting material and light. The curing potential considered the ratio between these two scenarios. Color difference (n = 6) was determined by CIELAB (ΔE_ab) and CIEDE2000 (ΔE₀₀) methods, by spectrophotometer measurements made 24 h after photoactivation and 90 days after storage in water. Data was submitted to ANOVA and Tukey’s test (α = 0.05).ResultsThe luting agents affected both conversion and color stability. With ceramic, ARC produced the highest conversion among the tested groups (75 ± 1%) and the pre-heated composite (PHC) the lowest one (51 ± 3%), but the curing potential was similar for all materials. ULT produced lower ΔE_ab than ARC. PHC presented the lowest color difference when considered both CIELAB and CIE2000 methods (ΔE_ab 2.1 ± 0.4; ΔE₀₀ 1.6 ± 0.2).SignificanceAll luting strategies presented high curing potential. Amine-free dual-activated material was able to reduce color difference than that formulated with the amine component. Pre-heated composite produced the least color variation after storage.     

Adaptation and validation of the Moroccan Arabic version of the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ)

Objective

The aims of this study were to translate and culturally adapt the PIDAQ native English version into Moroccan Arabic, and to assess the psychometric characteristics of the version thereby obtained.

Materials and methods

The PIDAQ original English version was sequentially subjected to translation into Moroccan Arabic, back-translation into English, committee review, and pre-testing in 30 subjects seeking orthodontic treatment.

Results

The final Moroccan Arabic version further underwent an analysis of psychometric properties on a random sample of 99 adult subjects (84 females and 15 males, aged 20.97 ± 1.10 years). The intraclass coefficient correlation of the scores of the responses obtained after administration of the questionnaire twice at a 1-month interval to a random sample of 30 subjects ranged from 0.63 for “Self-confidence” to 0.85 for “Social Impact”. Cronbach α coefficients ranging from 0.78 for “Aesthetic Concerns” to 0.87 for “Self-confidence” were obtained; the different subscales of the Moroccan Arabic version of the PIDAQ showed good correlation with the perception of aesthetics and orthodontic treatment need.

Conclusion

The results of the present study indicate that the Moroccan Arabic version of the PIDAQ obtained following thorough adaptation of the native form is both reliable and valid. It is able to capture self-perception of orthodontic aesthetic and treatment need and is consistent with normative need for orthodontic treatment.     

Randomized multi-centre study on the effect of training on tooth shade matching

Objectives

The aim of this study was to find out whether Toothguide Trainer, TT, and Toothguide Training Box, TTB, show any training effects, independent of the shade guide chosen.

Methods

Students from four dental schools (N = 78) were included in this study. The participants were randomized into a study, 42 students (age range: 19–27 years; 69% female, 31% male) and a control group of 36 students (age range: 19–30 years; 57% female, 43% male). The study group started with a double blind introduction test, followed by the TT and TTB training, finishing with the final test. The control group only passed the introduction and – after a break – the final test. Eight randomly chosen samples, seven of the Vita classical and one of the 3D-Master colour scale, were marked by barcodes. Colour matching was arranged by the Vita classical scale.

Results

The results of the pre- and final tests of both groups were combined. For every sample, the value ΔE was determined. The summation of all eight samples from the introduction and final tests offered a summarized ΔE value. The differences between introduction and final tests revealed the individual learning success. 47.6% of the study group showed statistically significant better results than the control group, 33% (p = 0.031).

Conclusion

TT and TTB show a positive effect of training on tooth shade matching independent of the colour scale used.

Clinical significance

Visual shade taking is the most frequent clinical method for shade determination. To increase better results in visual colour matching, TT and TTB training is used. This is the first study examining the training effect of TT and TTB using Vita classical scale.     

拔牙矫治对骨性Ⅱ类与Ⅰ类错（牙合）畸形患者面型的影响研究

目的对比分析骨性Ⅱ类与骨性I类错骀畸形拔牙矫治前后软组织美学指标的变化差异。方法选取骨性Ⅱ类I分类错[牙合]畸形患者27例及骨性I类双颌前突患者26例,采用直丝弓矫治技术进行矫治,每位患者均拔除了4颗双尖牙。将矫治前后的x线头颅侧位定位片进行软组织美学指标的测量分析。结果骨性Ⅱ类组患者矫治前后上唇倾角（A’Ls—FH）、颏沟倾角（Pg’B＇-FH）、Z角和面突角（G—Sn-Pg’）的变化差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。骨性I类组患者矫治前后上唇倾角、颏沟倾角和Z角的变化差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）;矫治前后两组在z角、面突角均存在差异。矫治前后两组无论组内或组间面角（NsPg＇-FH）的变化均无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。结论拔牙矫治对骨性Ⅱ类1分类及骨性I类双颌前突错黯畸形患者面型影响均较大,两组拔牙矫治前后的侧貌差异主要存在于颏部。面角非衡量骨性Ⅱ类1分类及骨性I类双颌前突是患者拔牙矫治前后侧面型变化的敏感指标。     

Biomechanics and clinical implications of complete edentulous state

The edentulous state represents a compromise in the integrity of the masticatory system. It is frequently accompanied by adverse functional and esthetic sequelae, which are varyingly perceived by the affected patient. Perceptions of the edentulous state may range from feelings of inconvenience to feelings of severe handicap because many regard total loss of teeth as equivalent to the loss of a body part. Consequently, the required treatment addresses a range of biomechanical problems that involve a wide range of individual tolerances and perceptions.     

Cognitive vs. affective listening modes and judgments of music - An ERP study

The neural correlates of processing deviations from Western music rules are relatively well known. Less is known of the neural dynamics of top-down listening modes and affective liking judgments in relation with judgments of tonal correctness. In this study, subjects determined if tonal chord sequences sounded correct or incorrect, or if they liked them or not, while their electroencephalogram (EEG) was measured. The last chord of the sequences could be congruous with the previous context, ambiguous (unusual but still enjoyable) or harmonically inappropriate. The cognitive vs. affective listening modes were differentiated in the event-related potential (ERP) responses already before the ending chord, indicating different preparation for the judgment tasks. Furthermore, three neural events tagged the decision process preceding the behavioral responses. First, an early negativity, peaking at about 280 ms, was elicited by chord incorrectness and by disliking judgments only over the right hemisphere. Second, at about 500 ms from the end of the sequence a positive brain response was elicited by the negative answers of both tasks. Third, at about 1200 ms, a late positive potential (LPP) was elicited by the liking judgment task whereas a large negative brain response was elicited by the correctness judgment task, indexing that only at that late latency preceding the button press subjects decided how to judge the cadences. This is the first study to reveal the dissociation between neural processes occurring during affective vs. cognitive listening modes and judgments of music.     

Cellular, Histomorphologic, and Clinical Characteristics of a New Octyl-2-Cyanoacrylate Skin Adhesive

Short-chained cyanoacrylates have been used for many years for topical skin closure. Toxic effects in cell culture of a new long-chained octyl-2-cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive are compared with those of short-chained ethyl-2- and butyl-2-cyanoacrylates. Two cellular tests were used: the agar overlay test and the MTT test. An in vitro test using copper plates coated with the three types of cyanoacrylates serves for evaluating the stability of polymerized skin adhesives. Bilateral neck skin incisions in Goettingen miniature pigs were glued on one side with Dermabond. On the other side, conventional sutures were applied. After the pigs were killed, the resulting skin samples were tested for the tensile strength of their wound stability. Samples of pig dermis were exemplarily and histomorphologically characterized. A clinical examination after submandibular lymph node dissection should examine the application in humans. Cell culture tests were used to show the toxic effects of the three cyanoacrylates. In a copper test, octyl-2-cyanoacrylate was more stabile than ethyl- and butyl-cyanoacrylates. Breaking strength was 30% lower 28 days after operation with the new product than with sutures. In electron microscopy, octyl-2-cyanoacrylate showed no disadvantages with regard to tissue regeneration and no histotoxicity. For plastic surgery, this new topical skin adhesive is a real alternative with attractive results, as compared with conventional suture.