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PubMed2005

Long-term skeletal effects of mandibular symphyseal distraction osteogenesis. An implant study.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term skeletal effects of mandibular symphyseal distraction osteogenesis (MSDO) with a tooth- and bone-borne distraction device, analysed using the metallic implant method. The study sample comprised 20 patients between 15.8 and 25 years of age, with a mean age of 20.01 +/- 2.25 years at the start of treatment. In 12 subjects, titanium implants were inserted in the mandible to analyse mandibular skeletal changes in the short and long term. A custom-made intraoral, tooth- and bone-borne distractor was designed and used. After a latency period of 7 days, the distractor was activated twice daily, by a total amount of 1 mm. Postero-anterior (PA) cephalograms were obtained at the start of distraction and at the end of consolidation (94.95 +/- 5.79 days after surgery) and follow-up periods (21.5 +/- 4.6 months after consolidation). The data were analysed statistically using paired t-tests. The mean amount of screw activation was 8.10 +/- 1.68 mm. The inter-symphyseal and inter-molar implant distances and the bimolar width significantly increased during the consolidation period (P < 0.001) and were maintained at the end of the follow-up. On the other hand, the bicondylar width was markedly decreased (P < 0.05), while no significant skeletal changes were observed in bigonion and biantigonion widths, inter-ramal implant distance, or inter-ramal and implant angles at the end of the consolidation period. The long-term findings of this study indicate that MSDO provides an efficient and stable non-extraction treatment alternative, mainly by increasing the anterior mandibular skeletal and dental arches.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

2.2 Continuous quality improvement.

Continuous quality improvement (CQI) can be envisaged as a circular process of goal-setting, followed by external and internal evaluations resulting in improvements that can serve as goals for a next cycle. The need for CQI is apparent, because of public accountability, maintaining European standards and the improvement of dental education. Many examples are known where recommendations from both external and internal evaluation are used for the improvement of dental education. Unfortunately, the implementation of the recommendations is inconsistent, rarely systematic and usually not transparent. This section agreed that it is essential to apply CQI in a structured, systematic and transparent way if we are to improve and maintain the quality of dental education. A model is proposed which includes three aspects: a) the process of CQI; b) the subjects to which CQI should be applied; and c) the management tools to govern CQI. It is stressed, that CQI is a process that can be applied in any dental school irrespective of curriculum or educational approach within the relevant context of the country or the region. The approach needs to recognize the complexity and the need to balance a quality improvement with accountability. A CQI system is also constrained in any organization by the attitudes and values of the staff. Inevitably there has to be a wide range in the application of CQI. Nevertheless, an agreed model on CQI might enhance convergence towards higher standards of dental education. The process of CQI can be supported by developments in information and communication technology (ICT): collection of data, identifying the steps in CQI, formats of reports, etc. The section was set, as one of its tasks, to advise on the development of a network based on a number of case studies on the application of CQI in dental education.

Cultural Diversity↗