Educational Purpose of the Block Exercise
The block exercise has been designed to support undergraduate BDS students in developing foundational pre‑clinical skills essential for crown preparation. Specifically, it aims to enhance:
- Manual dexterity
- Understanding of bur cutting properties
- Depth perception
- Ability to create and follow a defined margin or border
- Mirror‑mediated working skills
- Planar control of a rotating instrument using either high‑speed or low‑speed handpieces
Structure of the Exercise
The block exercise consists of two components:
- Base: Provides stability and allows the student to comfortably hold the exercise.
- Insert: The working component on which preparation tasks are performed.
Recommended Educational Use
It is recommended that this exercise be introduced at the beginning of the crown preparation course. At this stage, it serves as a valuable transition tool, allowing students to become familiar with the burs and preparation techniques required for crown preparations. These instruments and techniques are often different from those previously used for caries removal and cavity preparation, and early exposure helps build confidence and technical control before progressing to tooth preparations.
