Three-Dimensional Pen-A New Teaching Learning Method for Teaching Masticatory Muscle Anatomy

Recent advancements in three-dimensional (3D) printing have led to handheld, portable 3D pens with educational applications across various disciplines. However, their effectiveness in teaching prosthodontic anatomy remains unexplored. This article investigates the potential of 3D pens in prosthodontic education by assessing students' understanding of the muscles of mastication. It compares their comprehension when tracing these muscles with a 3D pen versus drawing traditional two-dimensional (2D) diagrams and gathers feedback on this innovative teaching method.

This prospective randomized controlled interventional study involved two groups: a case group and a control group. Both groups received instruction on the topic of "muscles of mastication." However, the control group was tasked with creating diagrams of these muscles on paper, while the case group used 3D pens to trace the four primary muscles of mastication from their bony origin to the site of insertion on a 3D-printed skull. Pre- and post-tests were employed to gauge knowledge improvement, and the Mann-Whitney test was employed to compare pre- and post-intervention scores between the two groups.

The mean posttest score for the 3D pen teaching group was 8.65, significantly surpassing the score of 7.48 in the traditional teaching group.

This study confirmed the effectiveness of 3D pens as a supplement to traditional teaching for learning anatomic structures like the muscles of mastication. The adoption of 3D pens and similar technologies in dental education can pave the way for more innovative and engaging teaching methods, potentially improving student engagement and retention of complex anatomical information.