Enamel Microabrasion
Dr. Ted Croll lectures on the potential of the enamel microabrasion technique.

Current Biological Trends in Aesthetic Periodontology
How Communication among specialists can optimize periodontal plastic procedures in esthetic and implant therapy.

Aesthetic Pre-evaluative Temporaries for Anterior Porcelain Veneers
Dr. Galip Gurel outlines specific guidelines for achieving smile analysis and consistent optimal tooth preparation prior to porcelain veneer therapy.

Vertical or Shoulderless Preparations in Contemporary Prosthodontics
Tooth preparations without a defined finish line have been termed in several different ways, such as knife edge, feather edge, or shoulderless. From a biological standpoint, preserving a maximum amount of sound tooth structure, as it is done in vertical preparations, might also offer a more conservative alternative to a horizontal margin design in other clinical conditions such as endodontically treated teeth, vital teeth in young individual, teeth affected by caries at the cervical third. Vertical margins on zirconia crowns have been tested in vitro and clinical reports have been published. A re-evaluation of possible advantages and shortcomings of vertical preparation design in contemporary prosthodontics will be presented in light of recently published literature.

Minimally Invasive Oral Rehabilitation... No More Crowns Please
Many patients are in need of oral rehabilitation but cannot afford it, and we see them suffer and deteriorate feeling helpless. The traditional full mouth rehabilitation, is often excessive (it is extremely rare when a patient really needs a full mouth), and because is expensive, it is rarely accepted. Additionally most commonly crowns are used for rehabilitation, specially on patient with parafunctions. In this eye opening presentation, Dr. Ruiz demonstrates how adhesive dentistry breaks many of the rules we have been taught, as well as the importance of proper occlusal management.

Visual Esthetic Smile Design: Driving the Restorative Plan
Digital Smile Design is a multipurpose digital tool with clinically relevant advantages: It can strengthen esthetic diagnostic abilities, improve communication between team members, help organize treatment planning, create predictable systems throughout treatment phases, enhance patients’ education and motivation, and increase the effectiveness of case presentation. This article describes the main steps of introducing this practical tool to the clinician’s esthetic restorative practice.

The Art of Interdisciplinary Aesthetic Dentistry
We will discuss the use of a diagnostic mock up that will convey the final tooth position and serve as a preparation guide. We will discuss color and temporization techniques and cementation techniques along with recommended products for different types of cases.

Surface Roughness of Restroation Margin Preparations: A Comparative Analysis of Finishing Techniques
This study compared the margin profile and surface roughness created by the tips of four different finishing instruments: fine diamond, dura white stone, tungsten carbide, and ultrasonic diamond-coated tips (UDTs). The aim was to determine which of these instruments produced the smoothest finish and created the most evenly contoured margin characteristics. It was hypothesized that UDTs would produce a rougher dentin surface than a fine diamond bur, that a tungsten carbide bur would provide a smoother finish than a fine diamond, and that the dura white stone would produce an intermediate finish.

Adhesive Dentistry's 'Secret' Weapon
When it comes to bases, bondings, and build-ups, glass ionomer cements are the restorative material of choice to replace dentin.

Smile Analysis - The Photoshop Smile Design Technique: Part 1
Computer design software will become the main communication technology between dentists and ceramists and a useful tool for showing patients the possibilities for enhancing their smiles. By understanding the elements of esthetics and learning how to incorporate technology applications into clinical dentistry, clinicians can predictably plan smile design cases and communicate anticipated results to patients and ceramists alike. This article, the first in a two-part series, introduces elements of smile design and reviews some timeless concepts. It discusses new, step-by step techniques for incorporating digital technology into the smile design process that can be accomplished in approximately three to four minutes.