Virtual 3D tooth creation for personized haptic simulation training in access cavity preparation

Predicting novice dental students' performances in conventional simulation: A prospective pilot study using haptic exercises

Background/purpose

While haptic simulators in preclinical dentistry show promise, few studies predict novice dental students' performance in conventional simulations using haptic exercises. This study aimed to explore associations between (i) the number of failures in haptic exercises, (ii) the haptic performance index, and (iii) the quality of prosthetic preparation for cast crowns. Additionally, the students' perceptions regarding the use of the VirTeaSy Dental® haptic simulator was analyzed.

Materials and methods

Forty novice students were randomly selected from the Dental Faculty of Nantes University in September 2022 (mean age: 19.7 ± 1.8 years). They completed four haptic exercises using the VirTeaSy Dental® simulator and prepared cast crowns on pedagogical phantom-mounted models. Data on haptic variables, prosthetic preparation quality scores, and the number of failed/successful haptic exercises were collected. Correlation analyses were conducted, and the mean preparation quality score was compared between students who failed and those who passed the haptic exercises. A questionnaire assessing the students' perceptions when using VirTeaSy Dental® was completed.

Results

A correlation was found between the number of haptic exercise failures and the prosthetic preparation quality score, with students who failed showing lower scores (10.66 ± 3.69) compared to those who passed (13.72 ± 4.76) (P < 0.05). No correlation was observed for the haptic performance index. Students reported that the VirTeaSy simulator positively impacted their learning of milling gestures.

Conclusion

The number of haptic exercise failures can predict performance in conventional simulations and help identify students with manual dexterity issues, guiding personalized preclinical training adjustments.

Effectiveness of a 3D Printed Training Kit for the Preparation of Access Cavities in Calcified Teeth: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 3D printed training kit for the preparation of endodontic access cavities in calcified teeth.

METHODS

The root canal system of a micro-CT scanned premolar was digitally processed to create an endodontic training kit containing 10 teeth with ten different progressive degrees of pulp canal calcification. A tooth variant with a medium calcification degree (5/10) was printed in three copies using opaque resin. Additionally, a set of 10 transparent training teeth with red-colored pulp was produced using PolyJet 3D printing technology, which was used to train the access cavity preparation in a controlled manner due to the transparency of the teeth. Undergraduate students (n=27) and dentists (n=10) each prepared a total of 13 (one pre-training, two post-training) access cavities. Substance loss was quantified by CBCT, and user satisfaction was evaluated by questionnaire. Paired t-tests were used to compare the means for substance loss and procedure time for pre- and post-training conditions. Unpaired t-tests were used to compare differences between students and dentists. The level of significance was set at α=0.05.

RESULTS

Mean substance loss before and after training decreased for both students (71.4 versus 54.68 mm3; p=0.069) and dentists (67.3 versus 51.1 mm3; p=0.633), but the difference was not statistically significant. The average preparation time decreased with training for students (420 versus 275 seconds; p=0.100) and dentists (336 versus 158 seconds; p=0.054), but not significantly. Root perforation rates also decreased (students: 6/27 versus 4/27; dentists: 1/10 versus 0/10). Participants rated the training model as very realistic and useful, despite the difference in material texture.

CONCLUSION

The proposed 3D printed training kit appears to be a suitable tool for undergraduate dental students, which could expand their opportunities to practice the preparation of endodontic access cavities in calcified teeth. (EEJ-2024-06-091).

Students' Perception of Remote Extended Reality Simulation Systems Using Patient-specific Three-Dimensional-printed Models in Endodontic Education: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE

Extended reality (XR) technology using head-mounted devices enables the operator to visu-alise anatomical structures. We aimed to investigate student perceptions regarding applying XR simu-lation for transferring endodontic educational information between a lecturer in Japan and students in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

In this study, the students engaged with an XR simulation system and viewed teeth in virtual reality (VR). Pictures of dental anatomy were shown in the VR space, allowing participants to manipulate them. Then, the participants viewed a patient-specific three-dimensional printed model and three-dimensional root canal access guide in a second VR area. Before the sessions, the students completed a questionnaire on demograph-ic data and information concerning their VR experience. After the sessions, they completed a questionnaire evaluating the XR simulation system. The questionnaire included questions on dental anatomy, root canal access, usability, emotional impression, and data transfer.

RESULTS

Eleven 5th-year dental students, comprising six male and five female students, were enrolled; three of them had previous VR experience, whereas eight did not. The highest levels of satisfaction were noted in the tooth anatomy (4.6+-0.4) and emotional impression (4.5+-0.5) domains, whereas the lowest level was noted in the data transmission domain (3.5+-0.9). Female participants and those without previous VR experience reported higher satisfaction levels across questionnaire domains compared to male participants and those with previous VR experience.

CONCLUSION

XR can be successfully used in dental education and integrated into online lectures. Restrictions on education caused by health crises can be averted by using XR. Further, fifth-generation networks can offer better data transmission than wireless fidelity.

Haptic and Force Feedback Technology in Dental Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

The haptic and force feedback technology has received an increasing attention in dental schools due to its effectiveness in psychomotor skill training. However, the bibliometric analysis on haptic and force feedback technology in dental education is still scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform a bibliometric analysis of the development of haptic and force feedback technology and its changing trends in dental education. From 1 January 2001 to 30 November 2022, all papers published on haptic and force feedback technology were searched from the Web of Science Core Collection database. These data were then entered into Apple Numbers for descriptive bibliometric analysis and visualized using VOSviewer software. A total of 85 articles were retrieved following the inclusive and exclusive criteria. The results demonstrated that USA and China exhibited the most publications. The combination of correspondence author and author co-citation analysis identified the more prominent authors in this research field. The top-cited and the average citation count per year ranking led to different views of popularity. A significant increase in the number of haptic and force feedback technology publications were found in the last two years. Virtual reality is the main keyword that indicates more new integrative applications currently underway. Taken together, this study provides a detailed bibliographic analysis of haptic and force feedback technology in dental education to indicate representative authors, literatures, keywords, and trends. These detailed data will help researchers, teachers, and dental students as a very useful information when trying to make haptic and force feedback technology more prevalent in dental education in the near further.