ADSA Community

Hello all! Currently struggling with manual dexterity, especially with indirect vision, especially as I'm starting to learn to do restorations. Does anyone have any tips/resources/methods to improve this? Would be greatly appreciated! 

Your question is of great value to the ADSA community. Therefore we have enlisted the help of the Peer general community by anonymously reposting for contribution from your graduated colleagues. Check for responses here. 

Hey! I was in your situation only a couple of years ago. My main advice? Practice, practice and practice some more!

We all learn at our own pace, don't feel discouraged if you don't get it after your first few tries; dental school is a marathon, not a sprint.

A great tip is to establish a stable finger rest. This support will increase control and facilitate precise, smooth movements. You could also practise your hand skills by drawing with a modified pen grasp during your spare time.

Posture and operator positioning are equally important. I would recommend the app "A-dec Dental Angles of Access" to improve upon how you position both yourself and your patient. This will allow for increased access and visibility.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/a-dec-dental-angles-of-access/id1499775614

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dentalanglesofaccess&hl=en&gl=US

Lastly, loupes are an amazing, although potentially $$, investment that can greatly improve your restos (think occlusal anatomy). It must be noted, however, that magnification is not standardised between loupes designs and companies (i.e. 3× in one pair of loupes may not look the same as 3× in another). I would recommend 3.5-4.5× mag for your first pair and advise that you purchase a quality headlight too; make the most of those student discounts while you can! Nevertheless, try and develop your skills without loupes in order to not become dependant on them.

There are now 8 helpful responses to your question by colleagues in the Peer General Community.

Click here to view the thread.