Integrated Course in Occlusion
Faculty of Dentistry
National University of Singapore
Course Coordinator - A/P Keson B C Tan, Department of
Restorative Dentistry
Course Faculty
Assoc.
Prof. Keson BC Tan
Dr
Tan Hee Hon
Dr
Frank Lee
Dr
Teh Kiat Siong
Dr Michael Lim
Dr
Elvin Leong
Dr
Teo Juin Wei
Dr
Wong Kuan Yee
Dr
Sophia Yee
Dr
Tay Koong Jiunn
The course is conducted in 3 successive modules over the 3 pre-clinical and clinical years of the Dentistry Course.
Occlusion I Module:
Anatomy and Physiology of the Stomatognathic System
OBJECTIVES:
Portions
of the above topics have previously been covered under Head and Neck section of
Gross Anatomy, Dental Anatomy, Applied Anatomy and also in Physiology basic
science courses. Integration and coordination with these other courses will
ensure that dental pre-clinical students will be sufficiently well versed in
the functioning of the normal, healthy stomatognathic system before embarking
on the study of the abnormal.
DIDACTIC TOPICS
- 1) Functional anatomy and biomechanics of the
stomatognathic system.
- 2) Control of mastication.
- 3) Physiology of muscle and joint receptors in the
orofacial region.
- 4) Deglutition, respiration and speech.
- 5) The Craniomandibular Articulation.
- 6) The Occlusal Interface.
LABORATORY EXERCISE
Full-contour
anatomical wax-up of 4 individual teeth using an additive technique. 1 3 4 6 .
Half crown # 14; Full crown #21, 23, and 16.
TIMING OF COURSE
Didactic
series should begin in January (ie. Term II, Year 1)
only after the Head and Neck syllabus have been covered by the Anatomy
Department.
Occlusion II Module:
Occlusion in Restorative/ Rehabilitative Dentistry
OBJECTIVES:
The
purpose of the Occlusion II module is to provide the dental preclinical student
with sufficient knowledge and skills to discover and appreciate the intricacies
of the stomatognathic system. The lecture and practical sessions will
familiarize the students with basic clinical procedures including how to make
study casts and to properly articulate them on semi-adjustable occlusal
instruments.
Each participant should be able to:
- 1) secure a set of stone study casts of diagnostic
quality.
- 2) demonstrate clinical proficiency in the use of the
arbitrary facebow and obtaining MMR records and transfer to articulator.
- 3) use the articulator to perform simple occlusal
analysis on articulator-related casts and as a diagnostic tool to
manufacture occlusal restorations.
- 4) differentiate between functional jaw movements and
border registration used to program articulators, and natural occlusion
from iatrogenic occlusal schemes.
- 5) demonstrate an ability to correlate significant
occlusal findings from the analysis of mounted study casts with signs and
symptoms, specifically how a disharmony in one component of the
Stomatognathic system is compensated for by the other components
with/without exceeding the adaptive capacity of the latter.
Another
objective of Occlusion II module is to correlate the different aspects and
interactions of the various components of the stomatognathic system in order to
give the students a total perspective and overview of occlusion as related to
the different rehabilitative disciplines.
Occlusion III
Module: Screening for Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)
OBJECTIVES:
It
is essential that students/dentists are able to recognise
and/or respond to the clinical and sub-clinical signs of Temporomandibular
Disorders or TMD (formerly termed craniomandibular dysfunction) in their
would-be restorative/orthodontic patients before embarking upon
irreversible occlusal treatment of any sort.
Besides a short didactic series, it is felt that certain prosthodontic principles such as the need for a stabilized cranio-mandibular relationship and the necessity for skill and care in the fabrication of biologically acceptable prostheses will be most effectively conveyed to students if the latter themselves are given the opportunity to actively participate in the learning process. It is felt that this is currently beyond the scope of the undergraduate curriculum, but selected students may be allowed to manage patients with TMD on an elective basis under clinical supervision of the faculty. (This view is a modification from the original proposal for the Integrated Course in Occlusion)
On completion of this module, the student will:
- 1) be competent in carrying out a systematic screening
protocol for TMD.
and on an Elective basis in selected patients only, be able to manage TMD by:
- 2) be able to relate their clinical findings to their
articulated cast analysis; specifically how a
disharmony in one component of the stomatognathic system is compensated
for by the other components with/without exceeding the adaptive capacity
of the latter.
- 3) fabricate, fit and adjust an acrylic occlusal
orthotic (Michigan splint) on his willing partner over a short period of
time (eg. 3 weeks).
- 4) have the opportunity to monitor the change in
mandibular posture via vericheck / CMI
instrumentation.
- 5) be able to successfully perform a 'mock'
equilibration of the articulated casts after stabilisation
has occurred.
Return
to Occlusion Course Main Page.