Abstract :
This study aimed to compare three preparation stability factors: the degree of inclination of the axial walls, the geometric shape of the occlusal surfaces, and the shape of the cervical borderlines among dental students studying at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Aleppo and Damascus University. A sample size of 150 clinical cases in the Department of Fixed Prosthodontics-University of Aleppo and another 150 clinical cases in the Department of Fixed Prosthodontics at Damascus University were prepared to receive fixed prosthodontic treatment and accomplished by final-year undergraduate students. The following three outcomes were determined: (1) the degree of inclination of the axial walls, (2) the shape of the cervical borderline being simple, shoulder, and semi-shoulder finish, and (3) the geometric shape of the occlusal surface being flat, little featured, and well-defined. For measuring the inclination of the axial walls, study casts after preparation of the involved teeth were marked. Then all measurements were copied on a millimetric paper to evaluate the degree of inclination with calipers. The results of this study were within the clinically acceptable standards, noting that the proportion of commitment to academic instructions was bigger at the University of Aleppo than at Damascus University. Within the limits of our study, it was found that a good proportion of students from the two universities of Damascus and Aleppo have adhered to the academic instructions given while preparing teeth.
