Techniques

Want more accurate impressions? Clinician’s Choice HeatWave thermoplastic moldable impression tray system provides an accurate fit, right out of the box.

If marketing is about communicating with the public, then the sub-discipline known as branding is about projecting a unique identity that enables a dental lab to be memorable and recognizable. And so, a good dental lab marketing plan begins with answering this simple question: “Why should I (the dentist) pick this lab over any other?”

As everyone in the dental industry knows, technology is moving at a rapid pace and helping dental technicians work faster as well. We were not able to fabricate restorations as quickly or accurately in the past but we have greatly surpassed what we used to be able to do with the invention of CAD/CAM and other technologically advanced equipment.

The second part of the Tech Census offers insight from DPR Technology Editor Dr. John Flucke on the five technology categories covered. This section focuses on CAD/CAM technology.

Kerr's SonicFill provides dentists with a fast, efficient way to place posterior restorations.

Achieving properly clean bonding surfaces for prosthetic restorations after intraoral try-ins is an essential step in creating significant bond strength between tooth structure and restorations.

During the hectic workday, moving from patient to patient, don’t turn to the easiest fast-food lunch. Make it nutritious, make it easy. Here’s how.

DPR readers prioritize and value our techniques, case studies, and how-to pieces above all other content. Here are the top requested and best read How-To pieces from 2012. Be sure to check out each article to see the complete procedure in step-by-step form alongside a detailed slideshow.

KaVo offers its handpiece experience with these four tips to always consider.

You probably know your practice should be following a number of handpiece maintenance procedures to keep your patients and employees safe, save money on your repairs, and extend the life of your handpieces. What is on your essential list when it comes to handpiece maintenance?

Tired of trying to roll up your print copy of Dental Products Report and carry it in your back pocket? Wish you had a simple way to review the latest dental product information and clinical techniques between patient appointments or while standing in line or stuck in traffic?

Feel like your office has the basics down? There are likely many areas in your operatory that you are not considering. Remember to flush your vacuum lines on a daily basis to prevent buildup of debris inside the lines and pump. Buildup will reduce suction or damage the pump. Cleaning the vacuum valve and trap should also be done weekly. Cleaning and maintaining your dental waterlines is crucial to your overall operatory maintenance to prevent biofilm, but it also plays a role in handpiece maintenance to prevent blocked waterlines.

You’ve done everything right, and your handpiece has served you well, but there comes a time when a repair is no longer cost-effective. When it’s time to make a purchase, what should you consider?

For the past 14 years, Mark Strelau has been creating dental crowns and veneers in a dental laboratory. Now, he is taking the techniques he has perfected in that same lab and using them to turn silver into inspiration.

Silmet Ltd.’s ProBase™ cement serves as liner-base for resin modified glass ionomer cases.

This week, a double dose of Dr. Peter Dawson – clinical expertise and his insights into CAD/CAM.

Every dentist wants to provide their patients with caring, quality service that can restore form, function and a natural looking, pleasing smile. When we take on the responsibility of providing patients with cosmetic dentistry we directly impact their self-image. Consequently, before providing that service, we need to know as much as possible to determine if we can fulfill their expectations. Fortunately, this is easy to do if you use the following simple techniques:

What may appear as a relatively simple treatment may actually be more than expected and a bit more complicated.

Grafting extraction sockets is essential for successful regeneration of bone. Research has shown that only 30% bone growth occurs in sockets that aren’t grafted compared to up to 60% bone growth in sockets that are grafted.

With a wide variety of materials now available to use with the E4D Dentist System, this how-to by Dr. Walter Renne, DMD, offers up examples of restorations and a review of material choices.

This week's episode of DPR Friday features Dr. Leonard Hess's column on preventing clinical failures. Getting it right the first time is just one of the Dawson Academy team member's tips. The three major forms of failure that Dr. Hess will explain are bacteria, force management and esthetics and patient comfort.

There can be no argument that dentistry is a challenging profession. Not only must we manage a business and employees, we also must  manage clinical care and patient expectations. When a doctor is pulled in various directions it’s easy to let some details start to fall through the cracks-that’s when we experience failures.  

Over the years, I have seen many restorations being modified and compromised due to poor planning from the start. Developing a plan, turning it into a protocol and then following every step precisely, will ensure a predictable and successful restoration. For aesthetic anterior restorations it is most important to start with a diagnostic wax up. This is a solid foundation for any case. All the critical points such as: length, proportions and anatomical details will be determined.

When placing restorations in the posterior region, it is reassuring to know that those fabricated from IPS e.max lithium disilicate provide dentists and their patients with strength, esthetics and the security of monolithic structures. These uniformly constructed restorations perform at maximum strength and potential durability. The minimal draw and adequate height of the preparation ensure good resistance and retention.

A 55-year-old gentleman sought a smile make-over and a full reconstruction of his dentition. The case was somewhat unique for me in that the clinician was working in Florida, and the case would be completed nearly 1,500 miles away at my lab in Illinois. This, of course, meant there was no way for the patient to meet with me for a personal visit to verify shade, fit, incisal edge positioning, contour or shape in the final restoration.

Until recently, all “Sixth Generation” self-etching/priming adhesives contained volatile solvents that must be evaporated prior to light curing to provide consistent bond strengths. Now a solvent-free self-etching, single-bottled system has been introduced by Pentron Clinical Technologies. Bond-1 SF Adhesive uses a proprietary formulation said to eliminate the need for commonly used solvents such as acetone, alcohol and water.

Occlusal guards are the treatment for bruxism, clenching, as well as the treatment of temporomandibular joint discomfort. Debate has ensued as to whether the occlusal guard should be hard, soft or a combination of the two consistencies. Soft materials used for occlusal guards provide a more comfortable fit but are less wear resistant than their hard counterparts. They also, because of their resilient nature, may increase clenching activity due to their rebound effect when the patient occludes on them.

Periodontal disease is way too common and is something that should not be ignored. When left untreated, it can lead to very costly and painful situations. One way to help fight perio disease is to use the Perio Protect Method™, a comprehensive method that is customized for individual patients to help manage biofilms-communities of bacteria-growing in the spaces or pockets between the teeth and gum tissue.

Staying competitive in the current economy has increased the need for an alternative to gold-based restorations. I am constantly thinking of ways to use my CAD/CAM system to streamline and improve productivity while maintaining and ensuring quality.

A technique for treating patients with gingival recession.