Braces?!!!

Today we went over SELECTIVE polishing! Ok, so in clinic it wasn't very selective but it was good practice. I was able to work on braces and try the brush. It was a little more difficult but at the same time it really made you think of what you were doing and make sure that you are doing it the right way, oh and when you do it on normal teeth it is so much easier! I'm very excited that they are going to show us the ultra sonic tips this next week instead of next year! oh so excititng!!!!

Real mouths!!!

Well that was totally different scaling on the posterior teeth on an individual! I have to say that I do like it a lot more then a typodont! I felt much more comfortable on the anteriors but still a little shakey on the posteriors. I plan on going home and practicing for it worked with the anteriors, but my stomach is growling and there is a great halloween party that sounds like a blast!

Oh the posteriors!

Today we learned about the posterior scaling! I will have to admit that Im totally confused about it all! Oh well, my goal for the weekend is to become confident as I can in this technique. I am going to take home my instruments and practice on my typodont, I know that this is not like doing it on enamel but it will work for the correct angulation and adaption of the scalers, also choosing the correct working end! Oh and I passed off a lot of pe's so I am ahead! Heck yes!!!

Say Cheese!

Today we learned the intra oral camra, it doesn't seem that hard just to learn the steps of setting it up. I really enjoyed going through the steps on someone we have never worked on before, it made me feel so much better prepaired for our first patient! My goals though is to go home and practice more of the scaling and get the hang of the mandibulars. Oh and can I just say that I hate boys! Or mainly one right now!

Another one bites the dust!!!

Today was the big day, see if all your adaptation and angulation practicing has paid off!!! And glad to say I think mine has! We learned how to scale the anterior teeth today! Oh how exciting to have that pointed instrument in hand and hear the scraping of the teeth! Ok, so it was harder then I expected with braces but Im glad because on the next person it will be all the easier! What my goal for next time is to practice not "scooping" the calculus with the montarey jack!!! Just kidding, montanna jack, but to to toe and tooth!

Instruments???

Ok, that was a lot!!! I hope that going over the instruments will make so much more sense soon! I was so confused about what they were talking about but mainly all the names! I found that a common theme was there: If they are sickle then just on the supragingival and if they only have one cutting edge then subgingival (which seemed only to be the gracies). Oh well that is a start! My goal is to keep an open mind and start to memorize all of the names!

Blue or Purple?

Today we learned to do a paitents PFI. It was really helpfull to stain our plaque and see where we personally don't brush. I found that I miss my mandibular anterior teeth! I was going to try and pass off my explorning pe today but found that I got to be in the chair for everyone else and then pod rap happened so now no practice and bleeding gums. Oh well it was really nice to see the mistakes and good things that each were practicing and applying it to me!

Well thats over!

Today I was able to pass off the intra oral examtiation! It was a little intimidating for I felt that there was a lot of little things that I had to memorize, also not so great on pronouncing the anatomical features but I survived after a lot of studying! I am filling a little more confident in the patients mouth now that I have had some time exploring. I do not feel that comfortable fulcroming in the posterior teeth especially the maxilla, I will have to practice that more. I would love to be able to pass off the exploring pe next time but I think that will require a lot more studying!

Its making more sense!!!

Today we were able to probe on eachother a little more and it made so much more sense and came a little easier! I felt that my probe readings were more accurate and the bleeding was not due to my pressure. It is really hard trying to get to the back molars with using my mirror to see and not blocking my light! I do feel like I am not getting enough practice at all these skills. We only have about 14 or so days left in clinic till its a real patient! I am really nervouse! I have been practicing on my typodont but it is just so different in a real patients mouth! I find it really difficult to try and see from the posterior direction in the mirror! I am getting a little better and that is my goal for homework.

Probing

Today the art of probing was tried. I guess you should ask my pod partner how I did since she was the one that was nice enough to let me in her mouth! I was able to practice on a full set of braces so I'm pretty sure that it was a little harder then it would of been but I am so excited that I was able to have the practice. For next class my goal is to memorize all of the anatomical features and steps of the intra oral examination and to practice exploring and probing on my best friend the typodont! But for now it is time to go eat my microwave dinner! YUM!