CLINICAL EVALUATION OF EDENTULOUS PATIENTS USING COMPUTERIZED PROGRAMS OF SCORING

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to show how a computerized program can improve medical reasoning for young practitioners and dental students, and to show to the patients the outcome of their treatment plan. Materials and methods: We used a computerized program, developed by Prof. Dr. Norina Forna, for medical reasoning in choosing a correct treatment plan, for partial edentulous patients, a program developed for dental students and young practitioners, that offers the best prosthetic solution according to clinical evaluation, general health, psychological, and economical status. We applied this program for a number of 305 patients treated in the Faculty of Dental Medicine, in the department of removable prosthetics, from 2010 until 2013. Results: For all the 305 patients treated we started clinical evaluation, general health evaluation, psychological evaluation and environmental evaluation. The results that we obtained showed that dental students do not have the holistic view over a case, that they regard only the clinical aspects, and less the general, psychological and environmental status of the patients, so they can easily obtain an incorrect solution for a case. The program offers indications by valuing all this parameters, and in regard of these offers a good, medium or poor prognosis for the case. This prognosis is extremely efficient for the patient also, for that he knows what to expect from his rehabilitation. Conclusions: A fully comprehensive computerized program is proven to be extremely efficient in adapting prosthetic rehabilitation to the patient, in order to obtain maximum of efficiency