As the progressive development of esthetic dental materials continues, so should the philosophical approaches used when choosing from among available treatment modalities. During the last several years, the technological development of composite resins has made the direct-resin restoration an even more viable long-term treatment alternative.

Dentists are constantly challenged to find the proper balance between function and esthetics when restoring the anterior maxilla. Both metal-ceramic and all-ceramic restorations can present suitable options for treating this region, provided the clinician uses a proper treatment protocol. This article demonstrates the author’s approach for achieving longevity and esthetics in the replacement of existing crowns.  

If proper guidelines in case selection, preparation, and cementation are followed, Lava and other zirconia re­storations should provide years of service and excellent esthetics. It is especially useful in masking any underlying discol­oration as in the case presented.

Inside Dentistry January 2008 66 “The Tucker Technique is a systematic clinical discipline with very specific steps.” Cast Gold: The Standard of Care for Operative Dentistry Bruce W. Small, DMD, MAGD Associate Professor of Restorative Dentistry University of Medicine and

The purpose of this retrospective clinical report was to evaluate the clinical service of ceramic and resin-based composite inlays and onlays at a mean clinical life of 51.46 months, as placed in a typical private practice under normal clinical circumstances, using a self-etch bonding system and resin cement.

This article will review the literature regarding disclusion schemes. A case report will then be presented in which the benefit of disclusion by cuspid protection can be demonstrated through the use of objective PC-enhanced instrumentation.

The objective of this article is to provide the clinician with the fundamental principles for achieving long-term success with directly placed composite resin restorations on the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth. These principles are discussed, and an incremental layering technique that relies on restorative adhesive concepts and a small-particle hybrid composite is described.

The following case reports describe the evolution of electronically transferred data and the subsequent impression-free technique, beginning with the fabrica­tion of a single zirconia coping, followed by the fabrication of a 3-unit FPD and an impression-free single crown, and finally the fabrication of an impression-free 4-unit FPD.

Achieving excellent esthetics in the anterior dentition requires that the interdental papilla and gingival embrasure form be managed so that an open embrasure doesn’t exist. This can be extremely challenging in the face of periodontal disease or malpositioned teeth.

Patients with a skeletal aberration that results in a malocclusion are not uncommon in our patient population. Several treatment options exist for these patients, from undertaking no treatment at all to performing complex orthodontics, orthognathic surgery, and restorative therapies.