The Bi-Digital O-ring test is a diagnostic method in which the patient's physical condition is judged by his/her finger stregth. The patient is made to form a Bi-Digital ring using the thumb and any other finger on the same hand. The doctor then forms two of the same rings with his/her own hands, interlocking them with the patient's ring and then, While the patient using his own finger strength resists, the doctor attempts to pull open the ring from both sides using his own bi-digital o-rings. Diagnosis is made based on the patient's ability to maintain closure of the ring.
We apply this test to make diagnosis in the areas of conservative dentistry, prosthetic dentistry and oral surgery. It is a very useful method for occlusal diagnosis, determination of mandibular position and teatment and diagnosis of temporomandibular joint porblems. We would like to report on our objective observations and clinical cases.

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Management of medical waste in the dental office is regulated by the Federal Occupational Safty and Health Administration (OSHA) . Eggleston categorized medical waste and outlined procedures for disposal.
Liquid blood and/or salive, blood-soiled waste, recognizable human tissues, extracted teeth, and contaminated sharps are the five basic categories of medical waste. Liquid blood and/or saliva must be placed into a septic tank or sewer system via a sink, vacuum system, or cuspidor. Blood-soiled waste must be discarded in trash cans with removable plastic bags.
Contaminated sharps, including glass anesthetic carpules that can easily break, must be placed in a contaminer that is closable, puncture resistant, and liakproof. Recognizable human tissue must also be placed in these contaminers. Human teeth can be given back to the patient or placed in a trash contaminer, but not a sharps contaminer. Regulations for the removal, of medical waste vary from state to state and country to country.
Dental offices, which usually produce less than 551bs of medical waste per month, are considered low-volume generators. If there are no specific Environmenal Protection Agency regulations, then less than 551bs of medical waste can be discarded at the same places nonmedical waste is discarded. However, low-volume-generator regulations require pick up by a licensed medical-waste disposal conpany.
Previous studies have tried to estimate the risk for healthcare providers of acquiring the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hapatitis B (HBV) infection after a percutaneous injury or skin or mucosal splash. Other surdeis have researched the incidence of health-care workers who sustained injuries and splashes while treating HIV-infected patients. However, it is difficult to determine the risk of patients being infected by a health-care worker.

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A pantograph was first developed by McCollum in 1929 as a bridge between the living body and a fuulyadjustable articulator, and was later modified by Stuart, Guichet, et al. to what are available today.
The registration and analysis of mandibular movement is indispensable for occlusal diagnosis. A pantograph is one the inexpensive and simple diagnostic instrument that can be readily used by general practitioners.
It is now possible to qualitatively analyze pantographic tracings in a more specific and exact way based on our detailed knowledge of mandibular movement, temporomandibular joint structure and function, related muscles and nerves, etc. A pantograph also allows us to take and keep good records, making it possible to observe changes with time in a reliable way.
Many reports have been published on clinical applications of pantographs for occlusal diagnosis. It is hoped that further research will be conducted on general characteristics of pantographic tracings to facilitate the qualitative analysis, so that pantograph will be utilized by an increasing number of clinicians.

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