The Socket Shield Technique - Have the Rules of the Game Changed in Aesthetic Zone Implant Therapy?
Implant therapy is in the age of being increasingly aesthetically driven, not merely restorative. With the increasing popularity of immediate implants, particularly with anterior tooth extraction, the relevance of socket changes following extraction has come to the fore. Contrary to what was originally believed, the installation of an immediate implant does not arrest bone loss, and immediate implants in the aesthetic zone are prone to recession of bone and soft tissue as a result of bundle bone resorption which is obligatory with tooth extraction.

Managing the Furcation in Periodontal and Restorative Therapy
Dr. Daniel Melker describes, in great detail, the management of molar furcation involvement in preparation for crown and bridge therapy.

Treating the Terminal Dentition: A Patient-Center Approach
In patients with terminal dentition esthetic and functional replacement is a necessary objective, but no longer a sufficient-objective: nowadays, due to the clinical and extra clinical characteristics of these patients, management of the therapy is as important as its conclusion. Respect of the principle of autonomy, reduction of treatment length, simplification of surgical procedures and prosthetic management of implant immediate loading are the cornerstones of this philosophy and are the object of this lecture.

Periodontal Clinical Issues
Examination of Different Aspects of Periodontics

Treating the Terminal Dentition: A Patient-Center Approach
In patients with terminal dentition esthetic and functional replacement is a necessary objective, but no longer a sufficient-objective: nowadays, due to the clinical and extra clinical characteristics of these patients, management of the therapy is as important as its conclusion. Respect of the principle of autonomy, reduction of treatment length, simplification of surgical procedures and prosthetic management of implant immediate loading are the cornerstones of this philosophy and are the object of this lecture.

Managing the Extraction Site - Optimal Preservation and Enhancement Techniques
There is rarely a day that clinicians do not have to deal with an extraction site. If implant therapy is a consideration, then bone and soft tissue quantity and quality must be factored into treatment options. The ideal opportunity for bone preservation exists at the time of tooth extraction. All too often this opportunity is lost. Extraction techniques will be demonstrated that not only preserve but augment the amount of alveolar bone. The importance of piezosurgery, atraumatic surgical technique, the use of bone grafts, resorbable membranes and growth factors will be elucidated along with soft tissue enhancement.

A Decade of the Socket-Shield Technique: A Step-by-Step Partial Extraction Therapy Protocol
Ten years have passed since Hürzeler and coworkers first introduced the socket-shield technique. Much has developed and evolved with regard to partial extraction therapy, a collective concept of utilizing the patient’s own tooth root to preserve the periodontium and peri-implant tissue. The specifications, steps, instrumentation, and procedures discussed in this article are the result of extensive experience in refining the socket-shield technique as we know it today. A repeatable, predictable protocol is requisite to providing tooth replacement in esthetic dentistry. Moreover, a standardized protocol provides a better framework for clinicians to report data relating to the technique with procedural consistency. This article aims to illustrate a reproducible, step-by-step protocol for the socket- shield technique at immediate implant placement and provisionalization for single-rooted teeth.

Periodontal Photo Essay
Dr. Daniel J. Melker presents a Periodontal Photo Essay. Question: Why do we barrel in furcations?

Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Peri-Implant Disease
Although some risk factors of peri-implant disease are well defined, the lack of efficient and predictable approaches to treat peri-implantitis has created difficulty in the management of those complications. The aim of this review was the evaluate the reliability of the diagnosis methods and to provide a set of guidelines to treat peri-implant disease. A search of PubMed and a hand search of articles related to peri-implant diseases were conducted up to August 2013. A summary of the current methods for the diagnosis of peri-implantitis, its potential risk factors, and a flow chart to guide the clinical management of these conditions are presented.