Fashion Forward.

Removable partial dentures are super hip this summer; they are trending on twitter and are hot on the runways. So being the budding fashionista I am, I decided to embrace my inner vogue and began the process of designing my own removable partial denture (well not for me to wear….ok maybe I will try it.) Now for the dental terminology… the RPD above is designed for a Kennedy Class I dentition. We started by carving in rest seats on the distal canines and the mesial 1st PM, then added in the lingual bar and retention mesh. I actually worked with a partner on this exercise, so the left side of the mandible was designed by me and the right was designed by my partner (thats why it looks a tad asymmetric.) I will be designing many more RPD in the coming weeks so get ready. Happy Thursday everyone! (Seriously though, dentures trending on twitter…what a day!)

I honestly thought this day would never come...

I finished my denture case! I know! Crazy, right?! Today I spent several hours in lab finishing festooning (adding detail to make them look life like) my denture case. I was so engulfed in the process... that I neglected to take very many pictures. I know, my most posted about topic and I don't even have a grand finale of photos? Fail. If you have been living under a rock and have missed all of my previous denture posts, then you can get caught up very easily… click here, here, here, and here!

Ugh… I didn't even take a picture of the finished maxilla :( Fail.

Oh you know it… Dentures!

It's that time again… Dentures! I am getting ubber close to being done with this little bugger. yay! I added the posterior teeth today and worked on the occlusion. If you need to get caught up on this wonderful project click here, here, and here! With out further adieu… the dentures!

The tools^

Carving out wax to make room for the posterior teeth. ^

Mandible filled in, not quite cleaned up though. ^

Oo La La! The mandible all filled in! ^

Checking to make sure everything is level. ^

Checking occlusion from alternative view. ^

Maxilla also filled in and placed in articulator.  ^

Looking spiffy! ^

Big smile! ^

More Dentures!

Since I know you all have fallen in love with my denture case, I figured you would love another post about it! Yay! I am getting very close to being done with it and I am excited to see it finally coming together. If you need a refresher on what has all been done in this never ending process… click here and here. Enjoy the Pics.

The tools ^

Measuring the teeth for placement ^

Adding the Maxillary Anteriors ^

Smoothing out the gum line^

And now for the other side ^

Maxilla almost done ^

Maxillary with gum line smoothed out and all the anterior teeth in ^ 

Removing excess wax from the lingual ^

Apical pathology?! Nah. Just adding wax to  the mandibular teeth ^

Mandible almost done ^ 

The never ending denture case.

Here are a few pictures from the seemingly endless denture case we are working on. I have taken a liking to prosthodontics in the past few weeks…it has been a nice change from our handpieces. Prosth feels like a huge arts and crafts class to me, however, I do worry constantly about breaking some part of my case and having to start all over (where as in art class I don't think it was quite so serious if I messed up… isn't that what makes it artsy? or did my mom just tell me that because I made so many mistakes? nm.) Anyways, enjoy the pics… it is still a work in progress. (here is the link to my previous post about my denture case if you would like to see the steps before this)

Picking up where I left off… trying on the wax dentures. ^

Making sure everything is level… it is a hair off, but good enough for this patient ^

Face-bow in progress ^

Now to mount it ^

Hands down… this is the EASIEST CR record I will ever take :) ^

Putting it all together on the articulator. Ready for more fun next week. ^

BBQ and Dentures

It was a BEAUTIFUL day for a BBQ… a dental school BBQ to be exact. The first annual "College of Dental Medicine BBQ" was held last year and it was a great success. This year proved to be just as awesome. Sunshine, yummy food, and a DJ made for a lovely lunch hour. Holla DMD class of 2013!


And then reality hit and I had to go work on my denture case. So, as I promised I included pictures of the lab session. Check 'em! 

Models and Triad base material to begin. ^

Laying down the Triad in a "rope like fashion" ^

verything covered up and ready for a light cure ^

Cured Triad in the back and marked up my models with guide lines ^

Adding wax. ^

My favorite part… the fire :) ^

Firmly adhered and voids filled in. ^

Pretty as can be and ready for more work next  week. Stay tuned! ^

Monday=Funday

So today is Monday. I usually am not a fan of Monday's, but today wasn't so bad. It was nice to see all my friends at school again (I sound like I am in second grade.) Everyone was in such wonderful moods because they had just enjoyed a relaxing (and hopefully productive) spring break. So as far as Monday's go… I can't complain about this one. 
One of my very good friends took her boards today. I think I was more nervous for her then she was. She finished a little early and she sounded pretty calm when I spoke with her. I can't imagine the relief she must feel! I am super happy for her and I know she did well as she is quite smart… ok now I am just sucking up incase she reads this. haha!
I have a busy week coming up. We are in the dermal system, and we are still working on endo and dentures in ECD. Additionally, I have an afternoon i'm spending at an elementary school doing oral health screenings and I have my final practice session before my FMX competency in radiology. All while continuing to study for boards. Whew! I may have to just IV the coffee into my veins this week :) 
This is a random picture of my half done denture case that will get some TLC this week. Pictures to follow… of course!  

Happy Monday!!! 

Dentures and Endo… life doesn't get much better.

Doin' work! ^

I have been getting the question, "Are you going to specialize?" a lot lately… and, frankly, I am really not sure. I don't know if I am cut out for a speciality or if I want to commit to more school. It overwhelms me to think about it, even though I need to because it is my grades, volunteer work, and boards scores from now that will determine if I even can. I need to reflect on this more. I will. Starting…tomorrow. Maybe.

Last week we began a new chapter in the dental school curriculum…dentures and endo. Very exciting. In a twisted way I really enjoyed the smell of cutting through REAL teeth, rather then the plastic teeth we have been using. It was a nostalgic moment as I was brought back to the long hours I had spent assisting in an office during undergrad. I swore I would never miss being an assistant, but i do.

I miss :

• knowing I won't get sued if something doesn't go as planned
• the praise when you do something right (usually on accident)
• the the satisfaction of knowing I did everything I could when the dentist accidentally hit the pulp. (which loosely translates into… I suctioned well.)
• being done with a day of work at 5:00…sharp.
• the smell of the autoclave
• the excitement of calling patients and telling them their lab work was in and they didn't have to wear that useless temporary anymore.
• taking a lunch break and not thinking about anything other then..well…lunch.
• race of breaking down and setting up a room in under 3min.

Sure I miss all these things, but I wouldn't go back to it for nothing. I am excited about the path I am on, the trials I have been through, and the journey that lies ahead of me. Dentistry is the career for me…this I am sure of.