DCEdental: the largest online dental CE directory in the world

Operative dentistry has changed dramatically over the last several years with new disease patterns, dental materials, cavity designs, clinical placement techniques, new technologies for diagnosis and restoration coupled with aesthetic demands. These changes have been driven by reevaluation of caries as a disease, methods to arrest caries and the capability of new dentin bonding agents. Many misconceptions remain relative to bonding agent efficacy and bonding agent seal of dentin, the causes of post-operative sensitivity, the long-term efficacy of fluoride release, and composite resin adaptation in cavity preparations. This course will provide scientific guidance to correct these misconceptions. This course will highlight lessons learned with all ceramic restorations in high stress areas, the long-term effect of fluoride release, and the latest in post and core techniques and clinical findings from studies in the PEARL Network.

Participants will gain practical information and a greater understanding of:

• The emergence of "hidden caries", its diagnosis and treatment
  
• Questionable role of fluoride release with time
  
• When not to eradicate caries and how and where to use new "selective dentin removal" burs
  
• Dentin bonding agents, efficacy, aging and permeability
  
• Problems in composite resin placement and polymerization shrinkage effects
  
• Concerns related to all ceramic restorations for crowns and bridges
  
• Rethinking the use of and selection of posts and core materials
  
• PEARL Network (practice based) research findings