The July edition of Oral Health regularly highlights new products, new techniques, and new technologies. These are the innovations that improve our patients’ oral and general health, and make clinical dentistry better, faster, and easier. Inventive approaches make the practice of dentistry more exciting, something to look forward to each and every day. It should … Read more
Bonding agents were tentatively introduced in the early 1970s. Since then, the evolution of adhesive techniques has transformed the scope of dental practice. Arguably, the high impact of bonded, appearance-transforming dental restoratives has propelled the dental profession into its greatest prominence in history. In fact, most direct and indirect restorations are adhered to natural tooth … Read more
Introduction The last few years a plethora of 3D technology seems to have inundated the dental market(Fig. 1). Whereas the initial efforts to 3D scan the dentition of a patient or to convert dental impressions or study casts to 3D digital models appealed mostly to the 3D cognoscenti, current technology and end-users seem to have … Read more
Technology is changing the way we live and work, improving our lives. Smart phones and watches keep us connected to the world, monitor our heart rates, detect and alert atrial fibrillation, check glucose levels, count our steps, record our hours of sleep and keep an eye on numerous vital statistics (Fig. 1). Devices respond and … Read more
Nowhere in dentistry is technical progress as rapid as in modern endodontics. The development of flexible nickel-titanium files in the late 1980s created entirely new and hitherto unknown opportunities in the mechanical preparation of root canals. Numerous recent innovations have made endodontics significantly easier. The introduction of nickel-titanium alloy rotary files was a major milestone. … Read more
The goal of the implant surgeon is to place an implant in the ideal position, that will support a prosthesis with the best long-term prognosis, while managing important anatomical landmarks. With the aid of Cone Beam CT scans the implant surgeon is able to evaluate, in three dimensions, the ridge, important anatomy, as well as … Read more
Introduction Normal pneumatization of the maxillary sinus frequently when combined with the loss of teeth provides inadequate volume of bone, specifically related to height to house an implant. This process is further complicated with periodontally failing posterior teeth are to be extracted. To achieve sufficient bone height to allow implant usage, augmentation of the maxillary … Read more
Placing tooth colored direct composite restorations is a clinical challenge for even the most experienced clinician. Aside from the technique sensitivities involved in adhesive bonding, determining a shade (whether single or layered) that predictably and precisely matches the natural tooth each and every time can be extremely difficult. Shading for most composite materials relies on … Read more
Matching odd shades (particularly if they do not appear in shade guides) can be a challenging task for a dental professional. A skillful practitioner who is familiar with principles of colour (Value, Chroma, Hue and Translucency) and composite systems, colour modifiers and shade matching principles, can create and match a restoration to the existing dentition … Read more
We are tasked to help our patients attain a more desirable cosmetic outcome; often, there is a choice between direct and indirect procedures. Direct procedures are generally less invasive; the practitioner only needs to remove old restorations and any pathology present. Restoring to achieve a long-term desirable outcome requires proper planning and execution to create … Read more
Abstract The use and popularity of both zirconia and lithium disilicate have increased dramatically over the last several years (Fig. 1). In fact, if current trends hold¹ it is entirely possible that that the escalating use of both zirconia and lithium disilicate will soon lead to the demise of traditional PFM’s. This article will focus … Read more