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One of the emerging dilemmas facing dental practitioners when dealing with a 'deteriorated' tooth is whether to recommend prolonged tooth maintenance or extraction, followed by implant placement. The advent of implants as dental restorative choices for individual teeth has increased the options available in the dental treatment plan. Retaining a tooth requiring many restorative, endodontic, and periodontal procedures may increase risk and can compromise prognosis. This course will include prosthodontic, periodontal, and endodontic perspectives. An interactive discussion utilizing clinical cases will be conducted at the end of the course to demonstrate the complex process involved in treatment planning of a 'deteriorated' tooth.

Prosthodontic Component Objectives

At the completion of the course participants will be able to:

Learn to recognize problems associated with individual 'deteriorated' teeth

Understand the proper foundation needed for the build-up of the 'deteriorated' tooth

Understand the biomechanics and stress/strain relationships of the different treatments

Determine proper treatment when faced with the choice of retaining a decimated tooth or using an implant restoration for a particular dental situation

Periodontal Component Objectives

Identify factors that determine the periodontal prognosis of a tooth

Understand the risks and benefits of maintaining a 'deteriorated' and/or 'hopeless' tooth

Gain better understanding of the indications and contraindications of crown lengthening as a pre-prosthetic procedure in restoring a 'deteriorated' tooth

Recognize clinical situations that will require advanced periodontal surgical therapy and properly determine the advantages and disadvantages of performing such procedures

Remain current with evidence-based literature regarding the placement of implants versus prolonged maintenance of a 'deteriorated' and/or 'hopeless' tooth

Endodontic Component Objectives

Identify factors that influence endodontic case selection

Recognize the biomechanical parameters of post space preparation

Understand endodontic complications, its management, and how it affects the overall prognosis of the case