Dental Tribune India Issue

By Lorin Berland, FAACD “The trend in dentistry today is clearly toward more esthetic and less invasive. Indirect resin and ceramic inlays and onlays are not only compatible with this trend, but fulfill very nicely the restorative void between fillings & crowns,” wrote Ronald D. Jackson, DDS, FAGD, FAACD (Cosmetic Tribune, Dec. 2008). Regarding durability, esthetic inlays & onlays are not new any more. They have a track record and it is good. With today’s mate- rials, longevity is mainly a matter of diagnosis, correct treatment planning and proper execution of technique. The problem with replacing old amalgams with tooth-colored composites is they are difficult, inconsistent and unpredictable. Yet, the warranty on these 30-, 40-, 50-year-old silver fillings is running out. We have to remem- ber that amalgam technology is more than 150 years old. At that time, people lost their teeth a lot earlier and died a lot earlier, too. Now, however, we have a large segment of the population that is more older than 50 & growing & they want to keep their teeth feeling good and looking good. Let’s think like our patients. Our patients want to replace these old amalgams, but they want to do it conservatively, consistently, efficiently, predictably and eco- nomically — and they want to do it in one visit. So, what are the advantages of indirect laboratory-processed composite resin posterior resto- rations? Restorations fabricated in this manner look better, under go less shrinkage, help restore the strength of the tooth, have minimal porosity and excellent marginal integrity, and they have smoother surfaces that are kin- der to the gums and result in less plaque accumulation. They are very durable and can be done in one visit. Patients appreciate avoiding theinconvenient,uncomfortable and expensive second appoint- ment. No second appointment means no temporaries, no emer- gency visits, & best of all, healthy tooth structure is preserved. By contrast, replacing amal- gam restorations with direct posterior composites, especially ones involving an interprox- imal surface, are difficult for the patient as well as the dentist. For many reasons, these dir- ect composite replacements fre- quently prove to be inadequate, especially over time. The inherent problems of isolation, the large bulk of com- posite required and the layered curing of the composite, as well as the effects of shrinkage, all affect contacts, occlusion, margins & postoperative tooth sensitivity. Gold will always be an ex- cellent restoration for posterior Dentaltribune|July-September, 2010 Clinical 9 Crown or same-day onlay? Take a look at the advantages of indirect laboratory-processed composite resin posterior restorations EMS-SWISSQUALITY.COM SUBGINGIVAL WITHOUT LIMITS THE DEEPEST PERIODONTAL POCKETS NOW WITHIN REACH WITH THE ORIGINAL AIR-FLOW METHOD AIR-FLOW MASTER® is the name of the world’s first subgingival prophylaxis unit. With two application systems in one. For sub- and supragingival use with matching handpiece and powder chamber. Incredibly easy to operate. Uniquely simple to use. Touch ’n’ flow: Highly sensitive 3-touch panel for easy choice of settings. The inventor of the Original Air-Flow Method is now first to cross the boundaries of conven- tional prophylaxis. For more information > welcome@ems-ch.com > Subgingival application of the Original AIR-FLOW® method reduces periodontal pocket depth, removes biofilm, prevents periimplantitis