Mirror tips

Started by Drabuisa
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Drabuisa

Drabuisa

Full Member
10+ Year Member
I was wondering if anyone had any advise on how to get better with indirect vision. We are doing amalgam preps on the maxillary posterior teeth and it is kiiilllliing me. I just can't work with the mirror to save my life! Should I just try to get by without it?
 
Drabuisa said:
I was wondering if anyone had any advise on how to get better with indirect vision. We are doing amalgam preps on the maxillary posterior teeth and it is kiiilllliing me. I just can't work with the mirror to save my life! Should I just try to get by without it?
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No, you have to learn how to work with it, or the lack of ergonomics will eventually screw you up big time. One tip I read on here is to try to do the motion once before you actually start drilling. Other than that, it's just about putting the time in.
 
So there's no easy way out of this one.🙁 Is it normal to suck at using the mirror in the beginning? How long does it usually take before it starts to become easier?
 
Drabuisa said:
So there's no easy way out of this one.🙁 Is it normal to suck at using the mirror in the beginning? How long does it usually take before it starts to become easier?
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try holding the bur to the tooth and moving the mirror any which way until u can see wat ur doing. i liked holding the mirror close to the lower centrals and the just angling it to see...

u'll get used to it... maybe a month of playing with it everyday???
 
I know it sucks to hear, but it's all about practice. It'll click one day.

It can still be tricky and I definitely find myself resorting to direct vision here and there. Eventually I will have the experience to not have to do that anymore, but honestly, do what you can to get out of dental school in 4 years. You'll have plenty of time afterward to perfect your skills.

So basically start developing good habits but don't feel like you HAVE to do indirect vision just because it's better for your back, neck, etc. If you need to do a good prep/restoration for a competency or something and direct vision would help, use direct vision.
 
Take your perio probe and walk it along the lingual sulcus 1-16 and 16-1 on your typodont using the mirror. Then go back and use a shepard hook explorer and trace the occlusal groves in the mirror 1-5, 12-16 using the mirror. Repeat.
 
browncrack said:
Take your perio probe and walk it along the lingual sulcus 1-16 and 16-1 on your typodont using the mirror. Then go back and use a shepard hook explorer and trace the occlusal groves in the mirror 1-5, 12-16 using the mirror. Repeat.
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This was what I was going to recommend. Do this for a minute or two daily and it helps. For some reason, doing coronal preparations on 8 and 9 really hammered in mirror techniques.
 
So basically start developing good habits but don't feel like you HAVE to do indirect vision just because it's better for your back, neck, etc. If you need to do a good prep/restoration for a competency or something and direct vision would help, use direct vision.[/QUOTE]

I'm glad you told me that.👍
 
browncrack said:
Take your perio probe and walk it along the lingual sulcus 1-16 and 16-1 on your typodont using the mirror. Then go back and use a shepard hook explorer and trace the occlusal groves in the mirror 1-5, 12-16 using the mirror. Repeat.
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I'm going to give this a try. Thanks
 
Whatever you do, DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!! Your back will thank you 1000 times over in the coming years for it!!

There's really no magic trick, just good 'ol practice and more practice, and don't get frustrated if some of your classmates "get it" quicker than you do, IT WILL COME TO YOU!
 
Put a bur first in fissures, try out a mirror in any direction so you can see, then start moving bur around first and then start drilling...recently, I start realizing that I'm getting better at maxillary teeth. I think the main key is to SEE first (if u don't see, don't drill) and then start drill...even while u're drilling you can rotate a mirror in a while...just fix the bur orientation and don't wiggle...just wiggle a mirror a bit. Good luck.
 
Lately I've been preferring maxillary over mandibular drilling. It's much easier to visualize the prep from all angles.
 
UltimateChiller said:
Put rain-x on your mirror
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Haha...I should try that! Some of my classmates hold the mirror way outside the mouth and have no problem with water spray. I like my mirror close to the teeth I'm working on, so I do have issues with water. Maybe a little bit of toxic chemicals put on there will do the trick! 🙂

Scotty
 
scottyhoop said:
Haha...I should try that! Some of my classmates hold the mirror way outside the mouth and have no problem with water spray. I like my mirror close to the teeth I'm working on, so I do have issues with water. Maybe a little bit of toxic chemicals put on there will do the trick! 🙂

Scotty
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That part gets about 1000% times easier when you have an assistant and you're doing 4 handed denistry and your assistant is constantly sending a stream of air from the air/water syringe across the mirror for you as you're working 😀
 
Its all about how you hold the mirror in my opinion. Make sure you have a good view of what you are cutting at all times and you should be fine. As your hand gets used to holding the drill and moving in relation to what you are looking at in the mirror it wont be that hard.
Just keep practicing doing it the right way, sitting the right way no matter how many times you mess up. Thats the only way its going to get better. Its really not an easy thing to do at all. Its definitely a learning curve.
 
i really noticed that when cutting a prep i have to just commit to the motion. if i sit there and try to think my way through it (ie: im using a mirror so its all backwards and blah blah blah) it throws me off. practice doing the motion a few times, then go for it. im assuming you have plastic teeth you're practicing on so who cares if you mess up...lol
 
There are actually good ways you can practice while not in the clinic. Take your normal boring powerpoint lecture, a mirror and a pencil. Hold the mirror in a position so you can see the reflection of the words, and with your dominant hand trace the letters on your powerpoint handout while only looking through the mirror. It obviously isnt drilling, but it helps getting used to viewing stuff and working backwards through a mirror.
 
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