Oral movement disorders, jaw pain, and tooth wear are examples of clinical problems that are part of the dental discipline ‘oral kinesiology’. About half of the advanced postgraduate programme in oral kinesiology involves the diagnosis, indication, and management of patients with one or more oral kinesiologic problems. The remaining time is available for thematic courses and a research project. The breadth of the programme will hopefully lead to improved care for patients whose treatment until now has been dispersed between various dental specialists. Successful candidates will obtain anadvanced postgraduate diploma in Oral Kinesiology,and can also apply to be recognized as a gnathologist.

Hypermobility of the temporomandibular joint is only noted when it interferes with smooth mandibular movements. These interferences may result from a condylar dislocation beyond the temporal eminence at maximum mouth opening. Aim of this study was to test whether the condyle of a symptomatically hypermobile temporomandibular joint is positioned more anterosuperiorly to the temporal eminence at maximum mouth opening than a condyle without hypermobility. Nine persons with a hypermobile temporomandibular joint and 9 control persons participated. Diagnostics were based upon opto-electronic mandibular movement recordings. Condylar positions at maximum mouth opening were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. A small significant difference in condylar position was found between groups. Condyles of persons with a hypermobile temporomandibular joint moved beyond the temporal eminence. However, this was also true for nearly half of the control persons. This suggests that condylar position alone is not a sufficient condition for symptomatic hypermobility of the temporomandibular joint. Maybe, symptoms of hypermobility only become apparent in combination with a particular line of action of the masticatory muscles.

By sending out 715 questionnaires to their alumni, the Department of Social Dentistry at the Academic Centre for Dentistry obtained the opinion of their graduates on the quality of their training. Of the alumni 50,9% responded, 57,4% of whom felt that they were sufficiently experienced to work independently in dentistry. Almost 70% of the respondents were of the opinion that the treatment of patients during the educational program fits in well with the treatment in practice. Many alumni however thought it advisable to acquire more hands-on experience, both in specific operations and in a year of practical training. Although 65,9 to 84,1% of alumni were (very) satisfied with their instructors, 61% of them said there was room for improvement in their didactic skills. The outcome of this survey shows that most respondents are content with their training. The results largely correspond to those of earlier surveys and offer opportunities to optimize education in dentistry.

The purpose of this study was to determine patient satisfaction with implant supported mandibular overdentures using magnet, bar-clip and ball-socket attachments, and to assess the relation between maximum bite force and patient satisfaction. In a crossover clinical trial, 18 edentulous patients with lower denture complaints received 2 mandibular implants and new lower and upper dentures. The lower denture initially came without any kind of attachment system, but was fitted with one of the attachment types after 3 months. The attachments were changed 3 months thereafter, in random order. A questionnaire concerning denture complaints was given at baseline (with the old denture), after 3 months of functioning with the new denture without attachments and after 3 months of functioning with each of the attachments (within-subject comparison). In addition, at the end of the experiment patients were asked to express their overall satisfaction with their dentures on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Data regarding maximum bite force were obtained from a previous study with the same population. Mandibular implant supported overdenture treatment reduced various denture complaints. The VAS score reflected patients’ preference more accurately than scale-scores. Patients strongly preferred bar-clip (10 subjects) and ball-socket attachments (7 subjects) over magnet attachments (1 subject). Patients’ preference could not be predicted on the basis of baseline observations. Maximum bite force was not correlated to scale- or VAS scores.

In the late seventies of the previous century the culture conditions to grow rodent tooth germs in vitro in order to investigate de novo formation and mineralization of dentine and enamel, were improved. This tooth model was then used for basic studies of mineralization processes in enamel and dentine. A review on experiments aimed at elucidating the function of osteocalcin, the predominant non-collagenous protein found in all mineralising type I connective tissues, in dentine formation is presented. Studies with tooth organ cultures and analysis of osteocalcin-deficient mouse dentin failed to disclose a function of osteocalcin in dentin formation.

A young African male was referred after the spontaneous loss of sensibility to the left of the lower lip. Anaesthesia of the left lower alveolar nerve could be confirmed. Xrays did not reveal any signs of pathology in the left mandible while clinically the gingival was tender on palpation. He was known to have sickle cell anemia. Differential diagnosis included a sickle cell mediated osteomyelitis due to infarction of the microvasculature. The diagnostic work up included additional PET scans to confirm the clinical diagnosis. The pathogenesis of sickle cell anemia and its importance to the dentist is discussed.

Mandibular block anaesthesia is frequently used in dentistry. The technique is more susceptible to failure than local anaesthesia by infiltration. Two cases of patients who were afflicted by transient paresis of (branches of) the facial and vagus nerves after mandibular block anaesthesia have been analysed.With reference to both these cases advice is given on how to react in case of a misdirected mandibular block anaesthesia.