In this group of students, video-clips were the preferred method of demonstration of tooth preparations in the preclinical environment. However, students perceived their learning to be facilitated more by one-to-one supervision. The students preferred to have the video-clips made available to them online instead of in the form of a DVD. The introduction of this educational aide did not make a difference in practical examination results.

ABSTRACT

The implementation of a computer-based information system is likely to have widespread acceptance among students and staff at the UWI Dental School. The computer literacy of the students and staff are on par with those of schools in the US and Europe.

Gingival recession has a diverse etiology. The consequences may include gingivitis, periodontitis, and hypersensitivity. Whereas the management can include surgical treatment options, sometimes a more conservative, yet still esthetic approach may be required. The use of gingiva-colored composites provides one such alternative and can be applied to varying presentations of the problem. While surgical treatment can be successful in re-creating favorable esthetic anatomy as well as achieving accurate tissue contour in cases when minor amounts of tissue are reconstructed, long-term results vary because of the vascularity and complexity of the interdental space. Factors such as cost, healing time, discomfort, and variable long-term results make surgery an unpopular choice. If tooth-colored restorative materials are utilized to restore cervical tooth exposure as a result of severe recession, the disproportionate appearance of the visible crown may give a dissatisfying result. Gingiva-colored composite provides dental practitioners with a versatile material that can be used to directly restore cervical defects caused by gingival recession, thus correcting the appearance of the gingival anatomy. It offers a treatment option that may increase patient satisfaction through the provision of a cost-effective, minimally invasive solution with highly esthetic results.

In this case of extensive gingival recession (Miller’s Class II) and mild physiologic pigmentation, an alternative method for the placement of Amaris Gingiva-Colored Composite was used to produce a non-invasive, aesthetic result acceptable to the patient. In restoring the defects in the entire maxilla of this patient, the opaquers were not mixed, but applied individually, directly to various areas of the teeth. Multiple opaquers were placed in a pattern mimicking the coloring of the patient’s gingiva. These were then covered with the base shade for a more aesthetic result to the patient’s satisfaction. The restorations resulting from the alternative method were highly aesthetic and at an eleven (11) month review showed no signs of failure giving rise to the conclusion that this method proposed for application of Amaris Gingiva-Colored Composite is viable for producing highly-aesthetic restorations in cases of gingival recession.