An Update on Dental Ceramics and Bonding

Our goal as dental professionals should be to maximize the lifetime of our patients’ dentition. Every time tooth structure must be removed with a handpiece, the lifetime of that tooth is reduced. Conservative dentistry aims to remove as little tooth as possible during restorative procedures in order to better extend the lifetime of each tooth. Adhesive dentistry helps us achieve this goal. Adhesive dentistry allows us to bond to tooth structure such that minimally invasive preparations may be performed. The goal of this course is to discuss conservative treatment options as well as the materials and techniques used to perform these treatments.  For direct restorations, diagnosis, isolation, caries removal, cavity preparation, use of liner, matrix and wedge placement, bonding technique, composite placement, and finishing and polishing will all be reviewed. For indirect restorations, this course will discuss how to select, handle and bond contemporary dental ceramic materials. 

The presentation will be based on current evidence collected at the UAB School of Dentistry as well as the current literature, however, the information will focus on tips that can be applied directly in the dental clinic.