TANN2300 Specialization in Fixed Prosthetics Course description

The course concerns different treatment options and production methods in fixed prosthetics, focusing on crowns or bridges to maintain or recreate the patient’s dental physiology and occlusion and aesthetic appearance. The course emphasises clinical and laboratory technology factors, design, aesthetics and function, particularly with a view to patient habituation.

The porcelain-fused-to-metal subject focuses on material technology conditions. Knowledge of various dental alloys and porcelain-fused-to-metal/ceramic is linked to the design of crowns and bridges. The all-ceramic subject emphasises functional and aesthetic prosthetics from a social perspective and the prerequisites for succeeding with all-ceramic prosthetics. Both subjects use both conventional production techniques and production using CAD/CAM (design, scanning, milling and 3D printing).

The student must have passed all the exams for the first year of the programme.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student is capable of:

• describing the most important clinical issues relating to the choice of materials and design for crowns, bridges, inlays/onlays, facets and separate posts

• explaining basic design principles in relation to function and aesthetics

• explaining and justifying the work process for model production, modelling, investing, full-ceramic press technique, casting, finishing, skeletal treatment and porcelain firing as regards the properties of the materials and the function and aesthetics of the tooth replacement

• explaining the possibilities and limitations of CAD/CAM in relation to dental production

• describing how to select shape and colour for a tooth replacement

• explaining the objective and area of use of a diagnostic mock-up

Skills

The student is capable of:

• planning structures and justifying the choice of design, materials and techniques in terms of clinical conditions, preparation and the case at hand

• applying the appropriate materials so that the material properties are maintained throughout the production process

• making sub-structures in metal-to-metal-ceramic crowns and small to medium-size bridges using conventional technique and/or CAD/CAM with satisfactory fit and functionality

• making all-ceramic crowns, facets, inlays/outlays and small bridges using CAD/CAM or press ceramic, either fully anatomical, with cut-back and/or as a ceramic core with satisfactory fit, function and aesthetic results

• firing porcelain for sub-structures in a manner that addresses functional, aesthetic and hygiene considerations

Competence

The student:

• masters the use of relevant terminology in written and oral communication

• is capable of documenting and presenting own work and reflecting on the quality of his/her own practice in the course

• is capable of carrying out systematic literature searches and using sources correctly in all theoretical assignments

The work and teaching methods consist of lectures, seminars, supervised skills training and self-study. Great emphasis is placed on skills training. Programme options A and B make joint use of the laboratories for skills training. All students must make an exhibit of their practical work before submitting the exam. Studying the presentations of fellow students gives students a chance to learn from each other and modify their work before submitting the exam. Throughout the course, the students will be writing a portfolio (production and process log) about their development of the practical work with pertaining theory and assessments. The portfolio is part of the exam, see ‘Assessment/exam’

The following coursework requirements must be met before the student can take the exam:

• minimum attendance of 90% at demonstration lectures

• minimum attendance of 80% at skills training, seminars, scheduled group work, presentations and compulsory supervision

• Three pieces of practical work for a joint exhibition for both programme options

Assessment content: The learning outcomes

Exam form: Individual portfolio with three pieces of practical work, one portfolio and three written assignments of up to 3,000 words*

Resit exam: The student must rework parts for which a fail grade was awarded.

* Regarding the exam form: The student can choose which pieces of practical work from the period to submit for the exam. The selected pieces should demonstrate different processes/different types of work from the student’s body of work prepared during the course. The portfolio shall document the processes and all techniques employed during the semester.

Pass/fail

An external examiner contributes to the preparation of the assessment criteria. Two internal examiners will assess all exams.