Collecting teeth?

[2th Doc]

What is this I've been reading about teeth collecting? Is this something the schools recommend you do before starting school? Or do soon-to-be dental students just choose to do it because it's better to work with real teeth than synthetic teeth that the schools provide? I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth asking some local dentists if they'd help me collect some--what's the point/advantage?

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[Jackson-Ave-Dental]

What is this I've been reading about teeth collecting? Is this something the schools recommend you do before starting school? Or do soon-to-be dental students just choose to do it because it's better to work with real teeth than synthetic teeth that the schools provide? I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth asking some local dentists if they'd help me collect some--what's the point/advantage?

Unless you are friendly with some offices on a personal basis, I believe that most would turn you down on the grounds of infection control.

 

[Vicviper]

Nearly all dental schools require you to collect teeth, most want you to collect at least a hundred or so - but it's a lot easier than you'd imagine. You simply look up Oral Surgeons in the area around you, call them up, tell them your situation, and ask if you can leave a jar. 8/10 times they'll have no problem, as they had to do the exact same thing. As long as it is stored properly, there's really no significant risk of infection control.

Though, I notice your profile still has you listed as pre-dent - I would wait until you get into a school, as different schools have different methods that they want the teeth stored, etc etc. Real teeth are incredibly useful for dental school, you'd be amazed how much easier it is to cut a prep on a real tooth compared to a plastic tooth. Also, the real time you use them in dental school is during your Endo pre-clinical class - it's important to see some of the complications you can get, which you will never get in fake plastic teeth.

 

[dantemac]

Nearly all dental schools require you to collect teeth, most want you to collect at least a hundred or so - but it's a lot easier than you'd imagine. You simply look up Oral Surgeons in the area around you, call them up, tell them your situation, and ask if you can leave a jar. 8/10 times they'll have no problem, as they had to do the exact same thing. As long as it is stored properly, there's really no significant risk of infection control.

Though, I notice your profile still has you listed as pre-dent - I would wait until you get into a school, as different schools have different methods that they want the teeth stored, etc etc. Real teeth are incredibly useful for dental school, you'd be amazed how much easier it is to cut a prep on a real tooth compared to a plastic tooth. Also, the real time you use them in dental school is during your Endo pre-clinical class - it's important to see some of the complications you can get, which you will never get in fake plastic teeth.

Vic is right...real enamel is a lot different. In fact, I think he went to Pitt and probably taught me how to drill in the sim clinic. I'll find out who you are one day.

 

[Vicviper]

Vic is right...real enamel is a lot different. In fact, I think he went to Pitt and probably taught me how to drill in the sim clinic. I'll find out who you are one day.

Haha, there's a good chance, I go to a lot of Drill-n-Fills!

 

[PDizzle]

Yuppers. Teeth are for endo unless your school has you put some in contact in a stone block for restorative (my school didn't).

Not only are teeth for endo but you have to get a few really, really good ones for sim lab CE's, mock board exams and the actual state board exam (in that order of importance!...low --> high). Find yourself 2-4 super awesome teeth and guard them with your life!!

 

[2th Doc]

Okay, thanks for your great replies. Yes, I'm an undergrad senior right now. I'll be entering dental school next fall. Are these teeth only typically needed for 3rd/4th year then? So I could wait until 1st/2nd year to start collecting.

 

[Vicviper]

Okay, thanks for your great replies. Yes, I'm an undergrad senior right now. I'll be entering dental school next fall. Are these teeth only typically needed for 3rd/4th year then? So I could wait until 1st/2nd year to start collecting.

If you'll be entering in the fall, and you school said that you need to collect teeth, I'd start collecting teeth right now. You really start needing a bunch of them for 1st and 2nd years (we mounted a few in stone to drill restorative preps, plus endo for for second year we mounted in special holders), and you need a few really good ones for 3rd and 4th year.

 

[FLOSS UR TEETH]

this may be a stupid question, but how is the blood and left over tissue properly removed from the collected teeth? I know it is collected in 10% bleach solution, but does this get rid of the "extra" stuff? Also, what if many of the teeth are broken?

here is a nice pic of a tooth with a little extra:

 

[youknowthedrill]

I'm collecting teeth for research with a local dentist. I get to scrape the soft tissue off while wearing protective eye wear, gloves, a mask and a lab coat . Don't stress about collecting teeth- I didn't have any problems. I had more than I needed after collecting for two weeks from two oral surgery groups and a community dental clinic that only does extractions. I walked into the oral surgery offices and they were very helpful and they were also collecting for a couple of incoming dental students. I volunteer at the community dental clinic so they didn't have a problem collecting teeth for me.

 

[notin]

you sterilize with formalin or an auto-clave. my school instructs to use formalin rather than bleach or auto-claving, though i have a dentist saving some teeth in bleach right now. we had to get 4-6 teeth for 2nd semester of first year to mount in stone and do some random drilling on, and will need many for 2nd semester of 2nd year for endo. broken teeth probably won't be good for much of anything.