tips and tricks

I recently completed the last module of the Orthoed MiniMasters run by Dr. Geoff Hall. An orthodontist based in Melbourne. I thought the course was well run and a good starting point for someone who is inexperienced in orthodontics. The progression of the courses weren't difficult to follow, basics at the start and more complicated concepts built on top of those basics. He is big on fundementals and concepts and I think an important aspect of the course is identifying risk and mitigating risk in orthodontics.  There were a few concepts that I took from the course and have unconsciously been applying to other aspects of dentistry namely: - There are no problems, only solutions. When we are faced with a problem, think of every possible solution to that problem no matter how farfetched and then think of the benefit and risk of each of those solutions. Sometimes one solution to a problem will create other problems and that needs to be accounted for. For example, For a crowding issue, o...

 I recently finished the orthodontic foundation course with IAADent run by Dr. Kenneth Lee and Dr. Jonathan Low. The focus is on diagnosis of airway, sleep, TMD and facial balance and managing these patients primarily with orthopedic development and the orthodontic alignment at the appropriate time.  The course is run by very experienced clinicians and it does seem that there is some level of ongoing support after the course. There is an online forum where you can post case records and have an opinion from one of the faculty members (this is not straight away and you won't be babied. You need to provide comprehensive, good quality records and formulate a diagnosis and plan. They won't plan the case fully for you, but will comment on your progress). There is also study clubs they run in the larger cities throughout the year where cases can be presented for feedback (a fee is involved).  This is truly a foundation course though and although there are some hands on aspects, ...

 Just finished the course 3 of 8 of the IAADent comprehensive orthodontics and orthopedics course. I've been quite busy lately and haven't really had much free time to jot things down in this blog. I'll put own a few thoughts about the course here. The first two sessions was a lot of revision for me having attended the first couple of EODO ortho sessions about diagnostics. The philosophy taught by IAADent and Derek Mahony run pretty parallel with a focus on a triad of airway, TMD and sleep and considering facial aesthetics. From what I gathered at EODO, Kenneth Lee has more of a focus on TMD and incorporating this into diagnosis and management prior to commencing any orthopedic or orthodontic changes. I could be wrong but although TMD isn't absent in EODO, it isn't as deeply ingrained into the philosophy they teach which is more heavily airway and sleep focussed. However, knowing a bit more about the subject now, I guess you can't really separate the three from ...

Parents can occasionally present with their children asking about gaps between their teeth. You must assure them that spaces between primary teeth are normal. These are a good sign and often indicate a favourable eruption of the permanent incisors with less chance of crowding as permanent teeth barring the premolars are wider mesiodistally than their corresponding primary teeth. There are two types of spaces: -Physiological spaces which appear between any of the primary teeth. These provide valuable space to fit the erupting permanent teeth -Primate spaces which appear mesial to the upper primary canines and distal to the lower primary canines. This space is important in developing a class 1 occlusion. When primate spaces are present the mandibular molars will drift mesially to close the lower primate space (early mesial shift). This will convert a flush terminal plane to a mesial step and allow the first permanent molars to erupt into a class 1 occlusion. When primate spaces are ab...