A dental impression is a positive replica of the teeth, the surrounding gingiva and the border between them; the purpose of which is to create an accurate master model. Two major techniques for impressions exist today: The conventional and the digital impressions. The current article describes both techniques. In the conventional impressions, it is important to choose a proper tray, stock or custom, and to mix the material properly. The commonly used impression techniques for making a conventional impression are described with a review on the effect of the technique on its accuracy. The effect of the wash bulk on the accuracy of the stone dies and/or the restoration is discussed, as well. The digital impressions with their advantages and disadvantages are described in comparison to the conventional impressions. Although, digital impressions eliminate some of the negative characteristics of conventional impressions, proper soft-tissue management and isolation of tooth preparation margins is still mandatory.

The present article is reviewing the expressions of kidney disease emphasizing special precautions needed when treating these patients. For better life quality and prevention of life threatening complications.

The present article is reviewing the expressions of kidney disease emphasizing special precautions needed when treating these patients. For better life quality and prevention of life threatening complications.

The purpose of this study was to review the distribution of patients' complains presented to the law court of the Israel Dental Association in Tel Aviv district, according to their topics, dental areas and results. 260 complaint cases filed between 2000 and July 2008 were reviewed. only 186 cases, to which an arbitration proceeding conducted full appeal only, were taken into account . Dentists, who encountered many complaints, were classified according to their country of graduation, as specialists or general dentists. The complaints were classified according to their specific dental field, year of complaint, to the number of arbitrations each year, to the number of appeals each year, to the entity who submitted the appeal, to the difference between the verdict in the District compared to the national ruling, to the distribution of complaints by gender and to the frequency of complaints by anonymous doctors. The distribution of complaints in accordance with topics was as follows: 30% in oral rehabilitation 13.5% in Dental prosthesis, 12.4% in implants, in endodontics 5.3%, 3.7% in maxillofacial surgery, 3.2% on ethics, 2.7% in orthodontics, 1.1% in periodontology 0.5 % in pedodontics and 28% in combined dental domains. 92.5% of complaints filed against dentists who were not experts. 7.5% of the complaints were filed against s specialists. Specialists in the field of oral rehabilitation encountered the largest number of complaints, i.c. 30%. Approximately 35.2% of complaints filed against dentists who have completed their studies in Eastern European countries and 24.9% against the Israeli graduates. 63% of referrals to the Court from Tel Aviv district for which a full arbitration procedure / appeals were presented by women whereas only 37% were presented by men. An analysis of the findings in the difference between the verdicts in the District compared to the national ruling it showed a tendency to aggravation of punishment. (P = 0.003) The Greatest number of appeals was filed in 2001, mostly by patients. In 2004, the greatest number of appeals were filed mostly by dentists. Most appeals have been filed over the years by patients. Against a small number of doctors several complaints were filed. The majority of complaints that were filed in a specific period against one doctor was 6.

The light reflection zone (LRZ) is a bright white dot or area that appears on the surface of the maxillary central incisors and/or the gingiva of the front teeth, visible in intra-oral and smile extra-oral photographs. Previously, a positive correlation between the location of the LRZ as observed in intra-oral frontal photographs and the inclination of the upper central incisors as measured on lateral headfims was found. The purpose of this study was to find whether this LRZ location can serve as a new parameter influencing the level of smile esthetics. Twelve pairs of facial photographs, including 10 of ordinary smiling persons and 2 of smiling models, were presented to 138 participants. The only difference between each pair was the location of the LRZ that was moved, compared to the original photograph, gingivally or incisally respectively, using Photoshop (Adobe). Each participant was asked to mark whether he/she noticed a difference between the 2 pictures, and if so, to score the nicer smile. Data analysis was carried out using Chi square test and Fisher's exact test (SPSS v17). The results showed that most of the participants did not recognize the differences between the pairs however, when differences were recognized, most of the participants pointed on the smile where the LRZ was located gingivally as the nicer one. This result was with statistical significance for the 2 models (p < 0.05), In conclusion, the LRZ is a new, yet unrecognized, parameter that can serve as a tool for the diagnosis of esthetic smile. The general population defines a nicer smile when the LRZ is located in the gingival area of the upper central incisors' surface rather than the incisal third. The LRZ should probably be studied not only in Orthodontics but also in other branches of dentistry.

Orthodontic fixed retainer is widely used, as an orthodontic retention appliance, for nearly four decades. It answers the need for prolonged retention with minimum patient compliance. The effectiveness of fixed retainers was compared to other retention devices in several studies, and was found as effective as removable appliances. But, further high quality research is still needed. A bonded fixed retainer was suspected as an obstacle that impedes the patient's ability to keep satisfactory oral hygiene. But research failed to prove the influence of fixed retainers on periodontal health or white spot lesion occurrence as clinically significant. The definite downsides of fixed retainer are the risk of retainer breakage, and unwanted tooth movements. A typical tooth movement can appear even without a retainer breakage, including a change of torque of a mandibular incisor or skewing of the anterior mandibular arch segment. Both the dentist and the orthodontist are encouraged to be familiarized with these possible side effects, recognized them as soon as possible, and consider changing the retention protocol, when appropriate.

In order to create an accurate model of the soft and hard tissues of the mouth, a complete control of the gingiva around the prepared teeth is needed. This gingiva must be displaced and bleeding must be avoided. This article describes the three techniques for tissue displacement: mechanical, chemicomechanical and surgical. Mechanical displacing the gingiva can be done by either the use of copper bands or with plain retraction cord. By combining chemical action with packing of a retraction cord a chemicomechanical displacement of the tissue can take place. The surgical retraction is possible by Laser, Electro surgery or Rotatory curettage. The advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of each of the different techniques are discussed. In addition, the different hemostatic agents are described with their mechanism of action, indications and contra-indications of each one of them.

Recently a number of published articles concerning a new treatment method in traumatized young permanent teeth with a wide open apex that have lost vitality, with or without periapical lesions have shown success. This new treatment is entitled "Revascularization" and its aim is to promote root maturation in infected immature teeth with open apices. This procedure stimulates the formation of hard tissue as well as elongation and thickening of the dentinal walls and closure of the root apex. Sometimes the vitality of the teeth is regained. The aim of the present publication is to describe the revascularization technique and to clarify the indications of its use.