Dental CE Course: Biometric Restorative Dentistry

Aesthetic and function being equal concerns when restoring the dentition, one may question the biomechanical behaviour of single teeth restored with extremely resistant restorations, as is the trend with most recent ceramic systems.The excessive strength of conventional prosthetic restorations such as gold and metal ceramic crowns can yield root fractures, which are very difficult to restore. The modulation of the strength of the tooth-restoration complex should be therefore considered to avoid stress transfer and catastrophic failures at the level of the root. The combination of both composites and ceramics seems theoretically appropriate to reproduce the original stiffness of the tooth and modulate the tooth-restoration strength. Therefore, modern concepts in restorative dentistry have brought new solutions through bonded restorations that are stress distributors and involve the crown of the tooth as a whole in supporting occlusal force and masticatory function. Among these, the good overall clinical behaviour of porcelain laminate veneers bonded tooth in terms of fracture rates, microleakage, debonding and soft tissue response is generally well recognized and attested by numerous clinical studies. Continuous developments in the field of adhesive restorative techniques have permitted significant broadening of the originally-defined spectrum of indications for ceramic bonded restorations and thus contribute to two of the major objectives of conservative restorative dentistry: the maximum preservation of sound tooth structure and the maintenance of the vitality of the teeth to be restored. Indications for bonding porcelain are extending to more perilous situations (worn??down, nonvital or crown-fractured teeth), resulting in considerable improvements, comprising both the medical-biological aspect and the socio-economical context (i.e, decrease of costs when compared to traditional and more invasive prosthetic treatments).