Thursday, March 27, 2008

Homepage Improvements: Enhancing the Linkroll

Through careful examination of the World Wide Web, I find that the most superlative pages feature links to other websites of high caliber. I applied this principle to my own blog in an effort to add depth. As done in a previous post, I judged each website by the standard Webby Awards criteria and each blog by the IMSA philosophy on aptitude. These pages are now present in my linkroll to the right. One of the first pages I found was that of the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics which contains vital information about the profession of dentistry ranging from the number of dentists in the US, to the average salary, to probable future statistics. What the government site lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for in hard to find, distinct information. Another government resource is the United States National Library of Medicine page about cosmetic dentistry. Though it features a simple design, it is easy to navigate, and has a plethora of topics and links allowing for a more comprehensive explanation of the subject. While avoiding generic names for websites is usually a good idea, one of similar caliber to the previous was Dentistry.com. It is deficient in design and utilizes the hyperlink too much, but features a consistently updated forum filled with many interesting discussions and facts. A blog that is kept very current and is insightful to those interested in dentistry is The Endo Blog. Written by professionals, without the public in mind, it can be difficult to understand without some prior dental knowledge, but those with enough will view it as interesting and informative as well as educational. Typical discussions are about rare dental cases, and new developments in the field.


For those interested in recent news and articles, the Evidence-Based Dentistry Journal(The most recent cover is the displayed image) on Nature.com is another excellent site. It does not engage the observer, but does feature free articles from the journal and allows online viewing. The same can be said about the
University of Southern California Dental School’s video archive. While only offering videos of different dental procedures and containing no external links or attractive decor, it is the only site I found that has this element of dentistry available to the public. The Dental Phobia Treatment Center homepage is also very public oriented. It addresses the issue of dental phobia honestly and methodically, which makes up for the under-utilization of online technologies. A blog with a similar issue is entitled Going Dental. While the articles are informative to read, the absence of additional features and consistent posting makes visiting the website frequently, unnecessary. On the other hand, a blog frequently updated is available on About.com and is know as Dental Care. The page has many advanced options, and the posts are well done, but the author is not a dental professional, even though she is very educated on the subject. The final item added was a link to Animated-Teeth.com. Though the color scheme and advertisements make it hard to navigate, with ample bonus material, and simple explanations of complex dental procedures (which I believe is key to understanding and appreciating dentistry), the site is top-notch. With the addition of all these new resources to my linkroll, I hope that my blog is now more of an asset to those curious about the world of dentistry.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Seeing Teeth: A Cure for Blindness?


Among my resear
ch of new and improving dental technologies, I stumbled upon a most inspiring story concerning a previously blind man who underwent a unique surgery to fix his sight. Due to the successful procedure, the 50-year old man regained enough of his vision to be able to recognize shapes and colors as well as count (using fingers) from a distance of two feet. I found this article fascinating, especially considering what kind of surgery he underwent, and how it was done. The procedure, Osteo-Odonto Keratoprosthesis (the final product is pictured to the left), is approximately a five month process requiring two surgeries and (in my opinion the worst part) the removal of a tooth. In slang terms it is often referred to as “Tooth-in-eye surgery,” needless to say it is much more complex than simply putting one’s tooth into their eye.

In order to better appreciate my stance on the surgery, one must first understand the complexities and stages of the process. One of the more interesting facts about the method is the numerous kinds of doctors and other medical professionals that are required to make it happen. Among the more prominent professionals are surgical ophthalmologists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, anesthesiologists, radiologists, and psychologists. By all of these different doctors combining their expertise and knowledge, this complex surgery is able to take place. As further medical advances are made (like this surgery) I think that the medical world is beginning to see how interrelated the whole body is, and how understanding overall health is the key to curing certain ailments. Cooperation between different medical fields is a necessity for research and development, and it is reassuring to see that such unity is happening currently. Even more inspiring is the idea that research like this has created a way for those considered blind to see again.

The Osteo-Odonto Keratoprosthesis process is a very painstaking, involved endeavor. First, the patients must undergo a series of tests from an optometrist, or other eye-care professional, to determine the severity of their sight loss and if the procedure will help cure them. Typically, only those patients with sight loss due to corneal damage, and damage to their outer eyes and eyelids are appropriate candidates. If deemed healthy and able to undergo the process, the first surgery is performed. In the primary stage an anesthesiologist is used to put the patient to sleep in an operating room. From there, an eye surgeon will then work on the injured eye, or eyes, and remove the scar tissue from the eye injury, the inner surface of the eyelid, and the corneal surface. Then an oral surgeon removes part of the inner lining of the cheek, and together with the help of the eye surgeon, transplants this tissue to the new surface of the eye. This is one of the more proactive parts of the procedure as it has two different professionals working together to heal the same patient. After the transplant, the oral surgeon will remove a canine or first premolar tooth (if the canine teeth are unusable for one reason or another), as well as a part of the jaw and adjoining ligaments. This tooth is then modified by drilling, to fit a plastic optical device (somewhat resembling a bolt, seen left) which is cemented to the tooth. Once this is completed, the entire apparatus is implanted into the cheek so that it can grow a new blood supply. The patient is then stitched up and given four months for their body to heal before the second surgery.

The second surgery is the more delicate procedure in that it must be meticulously done. The first step is to have the eye surgeon open the cheek lining that was placed on top of the eye. The surgeon then creates a circular opening in the cornea of the eye, where the tooth will be implanted. While creating the hole, the surgeon will also remove the inner contents of the eye such as the vitreous humor, which would affect the ability of the tooth apparatus to focus light. The tooth device, which by now has blood vessels pumping into it, is removed from the cheek, and implanted within the eye. The final stage is to place the cheek lining that was originally covering the eye around the implant, and to suture it closed to seal the eye cavity. After a week of recovery, the patient is able to see again because light will pass through the new implant, and focus on the retina.

Overall, the surgery is considered successful by numerous reliable sources. Based on the results of patients who underwent the procedure in a collaborative effort by the Singapore National Eye Centre and the National Dental Centre of Singapore, 66% of patients had successful treatments resulting in perfect vision. The remaining patients who were able to see all fell well within the range of functional vision. In a more in depth study by the Wessex Institute of Technology in Great Britain, the long-term effects of the surgery were explored. Surprisingly, the majority of patients who had successful surgeries had minimal complications in the years following. Obviously, there is the risk of rejection of the tissue from the body, which is a common occurrence with tissue and joint replacement procedures; however this possibility is minimized by the development of antibiotics that help the body more easily accept the implants. In any case, the study found that complications such as glaucoma arose after 5 years of sight in some patients (less than 33%), and major complications that required removal of the implant only occurred in 3.5% of patients as soon as 12 years after the surgery and as late as 20. With technological advances and more medical research, a surgery this successful might become common place in the near future.

Finding this article is very inspiring for anybody who is interested in the healthcare profession. To see that surgeons are starting to find new ways to help people, and are branching out from the traditional methods is exciting to witness. This surgery is a leap in the right direction for medical professionals. The human body is extraordinary in what it is able to accomplish on a daily basis. While much research is pointed toward new technology, such as radiation therapy for cancer, and nanotechnology, I feel that it is equally important for research to be directed inward. If human beings can manufacture their own cure for blindness, it lends itself to the idea that the human body holds more keys to medical advances than was originally thought. For those aspiring to be a part of this era in discovery of the potential of the human body, it is an exhilarating time, and is only made better by discoveries such as Osteo-Odonto Keratoprosthesis.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Forming a Strong Foundation: Applying Dental Techniques to the Blogosphere


In an effort to make my blog a more valuable resource to those interested in dentistry, I decided to search the World Wide Web and see what kind of websites I could find that would help expose readers to the massive amount of information there is concerning dentistry on the internet. Since a simple search will result in thousands of websites (many of which are haphazard and out-dated), I chose only the best ones, which I evaluated based on the Webby Awards criteria for internet excellence. However, my search was not limited to simply websites, I also explored any blogs related to dentistry that I could find and judged them based on the IMSA standards for blog proficiency. The result was a wonderful collection of websites (now present in my linkroll to the right) that give this blog breadth and depth of content. The first website I discovered was the homepage of the British Dental Association, and while lacking in the interactivity and visual design aspects (as it was merely articles and had an odd layout), I believe it is a great website because its content is made up of resources to educate both dent
ists and patients and is very informative, which accomplishes the overall goal. The next site I chose to link to, was the American College of Dentists website. While it is no where near aesthetically pleasing and simply offers information in text-based format, no other place on the internet is there such an in depth look at the ethical and leadership goals that dentists strive for in their work. This site was one of the first that I found in which most of its resources were for dentists themselves. I quickly discovered that this was also the case for the many websites, such as the homepage of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. While a typical, well-designed website overall, what makes this a great source is its section dedicated to the public that contains a plethora of links to answer questions and educate people concerning implants. Another site that is rich in links and information is that of the World Dental Federation, or FDI. This international organization has a site dedicated to education all people on the standards and goals for maintaining oral health. It is the most vast website I found containing this information and while not overly spectacular it is easy to navigate and helpful. Continuing on this theme of public friendly sites, another great website is the Academy of General Dentistry’s. It contains many links for dentists and the public alike, but is especially interactive in that it provides ways for users to subscribe to a news feed, enter a general discussion with others, and even listen to various pod casts. From this website, I was introduced to a well-maintained dental blog, entitled The Daily Grind. The author, a dentist in Florida, gives great information, and crafts well supported arguments based on his personal experience. It is a great site for an insiders look at dentistry from a dental professional. Similar to this blog, I also discovered another blog entitled DMDstudent.com, which is written by a current dental student, and is a great place for people in my situation who want to learn more about going through dental school. With consistent updates and strong links (as well as similar aesthetics to my blog), this is definitely a great source for those interested in dentistry. Another great website for this is Dental Town. Do not let the silly name mislead, the website is very interactive (through links, web casts, etc.) and provides up-to-date articles and relevant discussions on current dental news. After successfully finding these eight websites, I decided to change my search.


Turning my search from general dentistry to dental technology I stumbled upon some wonderful resources. The first was on the subject of the new CEREC technology. (CEREC is essentially is machine that takes a digital impression of the mouth before and after a crown preparation, and then uses that information to create a replacement crown, so that a patient can have a crown cemented the same day it is prepared. A CEREC machine is pictured in the graphic above) The CEREC website was clearly designed by a professional company as its functionality, abilities, and resources are all excellent. This helps to create a site that is far and away the best resource for CEREC on the web. However, this was still not the best site I discovered throughout my search. This honor goes to the British Dental Association’s 3D mouth website. By use of flash media, the site illustrates various dental conditions, procedures, as well as anatomy, all while being user-friendly and easily understood. This site makes me excited to learn about dentistry, which is something that none of the other sites accomplished so completely. With the addition of these sites to my link roll, I do believe that my blog has become a more informative, and comprehensive website concerning dentistry.

 
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