The abrasion of dental composite by cobalt-chromium clasps.

In cases where there are no suitable natural undercuts on the teeth which can be used to provide clasp retention for a partial denture artificial undercuts can be created by the application of a composite filling material. An in-vitro investigation was undertaken to assess the surface integrity of three different composite restorative materials following repeated cycles of movement of cobalt-chromium I-bar clasps over artificial undercuts created using the composite materials. A laser reflection confocal microscope was used to quantify surface changes in the composite specimens.

The control of hyperventilation in the management of 'gagging'.

There are good reasons for supposing that the problem of 'gagging' for some patients is analogous to a panic attack and is best understood from a cognitive perspective. In my experience, teaching patients to acquire a relaxed abdominal breathing pattern can provide a useful coping strategy for some individuals with a 'gagging' problem.

The qualitative assessment of complete dentures produced by commercial dental laboratories.

Comprehensive criteria and simple methods of assessment have been developed for the evaluation of complete dentures supplied by commercial dental laboratories. One hundred laboratories in England and Wales were selected by random sampling. A single identical complete denture case was sent from general practice addresses to each of the selected laboratories and each of the laboratory stages evaluated according to specific criteria.

An evaluation of removable partial dentures: a retrospective study.

A 50% sample (N = 100) of all patients aged between 50-70 years at the time of treatment who received RPDs' were interviewed by telephone for 8-10 minutes. The questionnaires evaluated the subjects' denture experience, attitudes to dentures, and satisfaction with them. A large majority were satisfied with their RPD's but a higher proportion of women reported problems with mandibular RPD's.

Hyperventilation in the dental chair.

An anxious patient may experience an uncontrollable increase in ventilatory effort, far in excess of the body's metabolic needs, to such a degree that profound changes are induced in the cardiovascular and neurological systems. This abnormal drive to breathe rapidly leads to a reduction in the tension of carbon dioxide in alveolar gas and arterial blood and to mild alkalosis. The outward expression of these disturbances can be alarming for both patient and dentist, but for the physiologist searching for underlying mechanisms it is intriguing.