Esthetic Option Research Articles

Cosmetic Dermatology and Physicians’ Ethical Obligations: More Than Just Hope in a Jar

Cosmetic dermatology provides new esthetic options for patients and expanded practice opportunities for physicians. Perhaps because of its recent inception, discussions of the ethical quandaries in the field are relatively new. Certainly, these dilemmas remain unresolved. This article aims to identify ethical obligations that practicing cosmetic dermatologists and the professional societies that regulate them should assume. Heightened attention to familiar duties and new attention to proposed responsibilities will enhance patient safety and choice. It will also ensure that dermatologists practice their craft in an ethically sound manner.

Overview of the SwissPlus Implant System

Although many improvements have been made to implant dentistry during the last quarter of a century, clinical challenges still remain. For the surgeon, achieving implant stability in low-density bone can be difficult. For the restorative dentist, incompatibility between implant systems and the increasing complexity of esthetic restorative options frequently require special training in the selection and use of prosthetic components. This article presents an overview of a 1-stage implant system with a textured surface and osteocompressive surgical protocol designed to achieve stability in soft bone. Self-tapping, double lead threads and a separate surgical protocol also enable the implant to be placed in high-density bone. The implant is packaged on a fixture mount that also functions as a transfer and transitional or definitive abutment for cemented restorations. This implant is designed to help simplify restorative procedures by eliminating many ancillary restorative components. For multiple-unit, screw-retained restorations, the prosthesis can be splinted directly to the top of the implant without an intermediate abutment. Overdenture attachments and straight, angled, screw-receiving, and custom-cast abutments complete the restorative system.

Defektdeckung an der Hand mit der A. interossea posterior-Lappenplastik

Significant trauma, severe bacterial infections and tumour resections of the hand are often complicated by primary or secondary soft-tissue defects. The Posterior Interosseous Artery Flap (PIA), described by Zancolli and Angrigiani in 1985 offers one possibility for soft-tissue coverage. In this abstract, we present the results of 35 patients who were treated with distally based PIA flap reconstructions during the years 1998 to 2003. 24 patients were available for one-year follow-up and beyond. Long-term follow-up demonstrates excellent colour and texture match with reliable soft-tissue coverage. Two of the 33 flaps were lost because of ischemic necrosis. The incidence of distal local ischemia was predictable when the flaps were extended to the level of the PIP joint or beyond. The PIA flap affords a very durable and aesthetic option for soft-tissue coverage of the dorsum of the hand. The flap donor site can usually be closed primarily with little to no morbidity. In comparison to other local and distally based flaps such as the radial forearm flap, major blood vessels are spared. In summary, the PIA flap should be considered as a reliable and judicious alternative to free microvascular transfer procedures for soft-tissue defects of the hand proximal to the level of the PIP joint.

Indirect Aesthetic Adhesive Restoration with Fibre-Reinforced Composite Resin

This paper describes the restoration of an endodontically treated upper first molar with a fibre-reinforced onlay indirect composite resin restoration. The clinical and radiographic examination confirmed that the tooth had suffered considerable loss of structure. Therefore, an indirect restoration was indicated. First, a core was built with resin-modified glass ionomer cement, followed by onlay preparation, mechanical/chemical gingival retraction and impression with addition-cured silicone. After the laboratory phase, the onlay was tried in, followed by adhesive bonding and occlusal adjustment. It can be concluded that fibre-reinforced aesthetic indirect composite resin restoration represented, in the present clinical case, an aesthetic and conservative treatment option. However, the use of fibres should be more extensively studied to verify the real improvement in physical and mechanical properties.

Dentists' molar restoration choices and longevity: a web-based survey

Statement of problem The increasing trend toward esthetics has led to controversy as to the longevity of esthetic restorations and the wisdom of having traditional restorations replaced for esthetic reasons. With the assumption that the way dentists treat their own teeth may be a good indication of the accumulated wisdom of the profession, knowledge of dentists' own restorative choices may provide guidance in selecting the most appropriate restorations. Purpose The purpose of this article was to determine restorative choices of dentists for personal molars and estimate restoration longevity. Material and methods Information about dentists' molars was obtained from a Web-based survey designed to receive dentists' demographic data and charting of 8 molar teeth with estimated longevity. Approximately 12,000 e-mails asking to access the website were sent to dentists' addresses randomly selected from a commercial database. Nonrespondents received 1 reminder. The responses were statistically analyzed with a chi-square analysis ( α=.05). Results Seven hundred fifty-seven valid replies provided information for 6,034 teeth (22% unrestored, 75% restored, 2% missing). Restorations reported included amalgam (36%), gold inlay/onlay (13%), complete veneer crown (CVC) (10%), metal-ceramic crown (MCC) (8%), and composite (7%). Other esthetic options accounted for less than 3%. Restorations with more than 20 years longevity included amalgam restorations (58%), gold inlays/onlays (48%) and crowns (23%). Fifty-six percent of esthetic restorations and 5% of amalgams were placed in the last 5 years. The following restorations were placed in the last year (n = 186): 38% esthetic, 29% crowns (18% MCC; 11% CVC), and 17% gold inlay/onlay or amalgam. Significant differences ( P<.001) were identified for dentist's gender, year of graduation and practice location. Conclusions Most dentists have not replaced traditional metallic restorations with esthetic alternatives. Dentists still choose nonesthetic options for significant numbers of their own restorations.

Knock on wood

Some time ago, actor Laurence Fishburne interrupted a Broadway performance to give a piece of his mind to a member of the audience whose cell phone had gone off during the show. I am sure that, at one point or another, you have been similarly annoyed in a public place by an inconsiderate cell-phone user. How can a restaurant or theater owner provide a quiet zone for its customers? IEEE member Hideo Oda of Iwate University (Japan) and his colleagues have been perfecting another line of defense against irresponsible cell-phone users in public places. Based on a patented design, wood magnetic material (1994), Dr. Oda's magnetic wood can be used to panel a room to shield from cell-phone signals. The Japanese investigators settled on wood because it offers more natural, aesthetic options to interior design.

Apollinaire, Salome and the Dance of Death

In 1905, Guillaume Apollinaire published a poem in Vers et Prose entitled 'Salome', which was later included in Alcools. Celebrated by the Symbolists and the Decadents, Salome had become an extremely popular character by this date, and most of the aesthetic options had already been explored. Instead of writing a pastiche, Apollinaire decided to compose a revolutionary new poem, one that would make the literary world sit up and take notice. Inspired perhaps by a medieval painting, he situated the drama in the French royal court during the Middle Ages. In addition, he decided that it would take place on Midsummer Night, a time long associated with madness and the eve of John the Baptist's feast day. Thirdly, he painted a sympathetic picture of Salome who, having loved John, was driven mad by his death (at her own hand). Finally, by employing a dramatic monologue, he created an intimate psychological portrait of Salome. The apparently nonsensical ending, in which the royal party dances around John's grave, is shown to be indebted to two folkloric sources: children's rhymes and Midsummer fires.

Esthetic options for the fabrication of removable partial dentures: A clinical report

This clinical report describes a procedure for influencing the esthetics of a Kennedy Class III-Modification 1 removable partial denture. The acrylic resin base is eliminated, and the retentive clasp placed on the first premolars is modified. This technique is simple and inexpensive, and in the treatment presented, it resulted in complete patient satisfaction. (J Prosthet Dent 2001;86:465-7.)

Air Dancing

The introduction of non-traditional materials in contemporary art has facilitated the emergence of air dancing—dances that are performed off the floor by means of support systems, such as scaffolding, ropes, rubber cords, wires, or a combination of these materials.This article is not intended as a historical survey of air dancing. Rather, it represents a theoretical speculation on the esthetic options afforded by air dancing. For this purpose, I have contrasted two choreographers, Batya Zamir, who has only recently incorporated aerial elements in her work, and Stephanie Evanitsky, whose Multigravitational Experiment Group has been involved in air dancing since 1969. The choice of these artists has not been undertaken to evaluate what air dancing ought to be or who the best aerial dancers are. The aim is more limited. Zamir and the Multigravitational Group were chosen to clarify two opposing poles of artistic development in dancing.