Tunnel Slot

Tunnel Slot, as the name implies, is a short section of slot resembling a tunnel. Bring your camera and the kids, this is a great family outing. The hike is reasonably short, with straightforward navigation. Though it can be brutally hot in the summer, it is still do-able with an early morning start or visiting in the evening. Zebra and Tunnel Slots is a 6.6 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Escalante, Utah that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and nature trips and is best used from March until November. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. 2.3.1 The 'Tunnel' Restoration 34. 2.3.2 The Proximal 'Slot' Preparation 34. 2.3.3 Traditional Cavity Preparation 35. 2.3.4 The Repaired Amalgam Restoration 37. 2.3.5 Cavity Preparations Involving Three or More Surfaces 37. 2.3.6 Treatment of the Large Carious Lesion 38. 2.3.7 The Use of Calcium Hydroxide in Direct Pulp Capping 40. Finding Tunnel Slot To approach Tunnel Slot from the bottom, you’ll stay at the same general elevation as the floor of the canyons. With your back to mouth of Zebra slot, go straight toward the wide open area where the canyons converge, but bear left and head up the next main canyon on your left.

April 16, 2014

Yesterday's visit to the tourist-infested Calf Creek Falls area was just a warmup; today it is time to venture down the hideous Hole-in-the-Rock Road to the first of several scheduled trailheads. Compelled to travel at as little as 10 miles per hour in places due to washboarding of the road surface, my Outback is delighted when I stop to park after just eight miles of torture.

Sloth Tunnel

Clouds are abundant, but non-threatening. For me, it always is difficult to predict what will happen to the weather around here.

Getting started

Before long, the trail reaches a rocky area sporting some predictably interesting formations.

That fence isn't guarding much of anything

As I reach another open area, I know that the first objective is over in that next rock outcropping.

Heading for the distant slickrock

There it is — an opening in the rock just where it is supposed to be:

Approaching Zebra Slot

Just inside the entrance, a little puddle is easy enough to inch around.

A minor obstacle

Claustrophobic, yet exciting

I must admit that being in here alone is a bit eerie. I'm no fraidy-cat, but I cannot help being reminded of the commemorativeplaque down at Lower Antelope Canyon showing the names of the eleven people who drowned in a flash flood there in 1997, while in the company of the resident guide (the only survivor). Today's skies are sufficiently inclement that, when I encounter a section of canyon that would necessitate a scramble though a section just six inches wide, I decide to proceed no further.

Some nice photos are going to be missed

I breathe just a bit more easily after exiting the slot.

Off to the next attraction

Just half a mile around the corner is the entrance to a scenic wash with rock walls steep enough to prevent climbing in an emergency, but I'll venture in anyway.

Some neat stuff around the opening

It's time to go in...

..or is it?

Oops! No sooner do I enter the slot than I encounter a puddle more than a foot deep, and there's no way around it. A strong canyoneer could inch his way over it, I suppose; but I am not one of those. Thwarted again!

Heading out already

Well, that's too bad; it wasn't far to the other end. When visiting slotcanyons in the springtime, one must be prepared to deal with water hazards.

Patterns

According to my research, there is some special stuff above the upper end of Tunnel Slot. Today I cannot get through it; but by returning to the mouth of the canyon I should be able to go up and around, and I do. Locating the objects of my search proves easy, because they are all over the place:

Moqui marbles ⇔

The spherules are iron oxide concretions — a sort of hematite 'glue' around a sandstone center. They weather more slowly than the surrounding stratum, finally detaching from the host rock as it erodes away. These geologic phenomena were predicted to exist on Mars; and in fact such 'Martian blueberries' were discovered at Meridiani Planum.

Moqui marbles had substantial spiritual significance to the Hopi Indians. Nowadays any interest tends to be purely commercial, and that is principally why it is illegal to remove these or other materials from federal parklands. I will content myself with a few photographic memories.

Upper Tunnel Slot Canyon is a contorted sandstone maze, seemingly unable to make up its mind.

Reminiscent of The Wave down near Buckskin Gulch ⇔

Heading back down beside the deep wash

Former plant life

Now that I know the lay of the land, it is easy to shortcut back across the open area.

More patterns

The threatening sprinkles have arrived. I really need to get a poncho long enough to cover my lumbar pack, thereby solving several issues. As it is, I wrap my rain gear around my camera and carry it under an arm as I scurry down the last mile of path to the trailhead. Just now, four hikers appear — the only humans I have seen today.

Trying to beat the rain

§: This nearly level walk served as a good initiation to the wonders of Escalante. Although my canyon explorations were curtailed by prevailing conditions, visiting all the fantastic rock formations was a lot of fun, and observing my first-ever Moqui marbles was a real treat.

• Trailhead: 8 miles from SR-12 on Hole-in-the-Rock Road
• Distance: 7½ miles
• Elevation: 5400' to 5200'
• Hikers: 4
• Rating: 5 (more in drier weather)

1 New Methods of Detection of Caries 1

1.1 The Diagnosis of Caries 1

1.1.1 DIAGNOdent 5

1.1.2 Digital Imaging Fiber-Optic Transillumination 7

1.1.3 Fiber-Optic Transillumination 8

1.1.4 Quantitative Light-Induced Fluorescence 9

1.1.5 Radiology of Dental Caries 10

1.1.6 Electrical Conductance 12

1.1.7 Modern Caries Detection and Management 12

References 13

2 New Developments in Caries Removal and Restoration . . . 17

2.1 Caries Removal 17

2.1.1 Lasers 18

2.1.2 Polymer Bur 20

2.1.3 Micropreparation Burs 20

2.1.4 Air Abrasion (or Kinetic Cavity Preparation) 21

2.1.5 Photoactivated Disinfection 23

2.1.6 CarisolvGel 23

2.1.7 Atraumatic Restorative Treatment 24

2.1.8 Caries-Detector Dyes 25

2.2 Restoration Following Caries Detection 26

2.2.1 Why Are Teeth Restored? 26

2.2.2 Caries as a Disease 27

2.2.3 Preventing Dental Caries 28

2.2.4 When Should Caries Be Restored? 30

2.2.5 Fissure Sealants 32

2.2.6 Ozone Therapy for the Treatment of Caries 32

2.3 Restorative Procedures 34

2.3.1 The 'Tunnel' Restoration 34

2.3.2 The Proximal 'Slot' Preparation 34

2.3.3 Traditional Cavity Preparation 35

2.3.4 The Repaired Amalgam Restoration 37

2.3.5 Cavity Preparations Involving Three or More Surfaces 37

2.3.6 Treatment of the Large Carious Lesion 38

2.3.7 The Use of Calcium Hydroxide in Direct Pulp Capping 40

2.3.8 The Foundation Restoration 41

2.3.9 Practical Aspects of Amalgam Retention 42

2.3.10 Pins vs Bonded Restorations 43

2.3.11 Amalgam Bonding Procedure 44

2.3.12 The Use of Base Materials 45

References 45

3 Posterior Resin Composite Restorations 51

3.1 Ramped Curing Lights 52

3.2 Ceramic Inserts 52

3.3 Nanotechnology 54

3.4 'Total Etch' Technique 54

3.5 Fissure Sealants 55

3.6 Preventive Resin Restorations 56

3.7 Minimal Class II Restorations 57

3.8 Posterior Composite Resin Restoration 57

3.9 Direct Composite Resin Restorations 58

3.10 Studies of Direct Resin-Composite Restoration Survival 60

3.11 Reasons for Failure of Extensive Direct Composite

Resin Restorations 60

3.12 The 'Sandwich' Technique 62

3.13 Packable Composite Resin Materials 62

3.14 New Developments in Resin-Composite Technology 64

References 64

4 The Single Crown, Veneers, and Bleaching 67

4.1 The Single Crown 67

4.1.1 Recurrent Caries and Periodontal Disease 67

4.1.2 The Tooth Becomes Nonvital 69

4.1.3 The Crown Restoration Becomes Loose 69

4.1.4 Perforation of the Crown During Occlusal Adjustment 73

4.1.5 The Appearance of the Crown is Unsatisfactory 74

4.1.5.1 Shade of the Crown 75

4.1.5.2 Shape of the Crown 76

4.1.5.3 Gingival Contour 76

4.1.5.4 Gingival Recession 76

4.2 New Developments in Crown Provision 78

4.3 Veneers 79

4.3.1 Tooth Preparation 79

4.3.2 Disadvantages of Veneers 81

4.3.3 Failure of Veneers 81

4.3.4 Cementation Procedures for a Veneer 83

4.3.5 Provisional Restorations for Veneers 83

4.4 Resin-Bonded All-Ceramic Crowns

(or 'Dentin-Bonded Crown') 84

4.4.1 Marginal Leakage 86

4.4.2 Cementation Procedures for the Resin-Bonded

All-Ceramic Crown 86

4.5 Bleaching of Teeth 87

4.5.1 Cervical Resorption 87

4.5.2 The 'Walking Bleach' Technique 88

4.5.3 Vital Tooth Bleaching 89

4.5.4 In-House Tooth Bleaching 90

4.6 Microabrasion 90

References 92

5 Noncarious Tooth Tissue Loss 95

5.1 Noncarious Tooth Wear 95

5.1.1 Clinical Appearance of Erosion 95

5.1.2 Clinical Appearance of Attrition 96

5.1.3 Clinical Appearance of Abrasion 97

5.2 Prevention of Toothwear 97

5.3 Recent Developments in the Treatment of Tooth Wear 100

5.3.1 Noncarious Cervical Restorations 100

5.3.2 Clinical Procedures for Restoration of Cervical Lesions 100

5.3.3 Why Do Cervical Restorations Fail? 101

5.3.4 New Developments in Direct Posterior Resin Composites . . . 103

5.3.5 Addition of Resin Composite to Anterior Teeth 104

5.3.6 Developments in Indirect Resin Composite Technology 105

5.3.6.1 Targis/Vectris Crowns 106

5.3.6.2 Sinfony 106

5.3.6.3 Belleglass HP 106

5.3.6.4 Other Fiber Systems 107

5.4 Ceramic Inlay and Onlay Restorations 107

5.5 Inlay Restorations 108

5.6 Onlay Restorations 109

5.6.1 Milled Ceramic Inlays or Onlays 111

5.6.1.2 IPS Empress System 112

5.6.1.3 Fortress 113

5.7 Full-Veneer Posterior Porcelain Crowns 115

5.7.1 In-Ceram 115

5.7.2 Procera AllCeram Crowns 116

5.8 Cementation of the Restoration 117

5.9 Choosing the Correct Restorative System 118

Tunnel Slot Canyon Escalante

5.10 Conclusion 119

References 119

Tunnel Slot Canyon

Subject Index 123

Tunnel Slot Hike

Was this article helpful?