photo courtesy of Max Arocha DMD

INTRODUCTION
Aesthetic dentistry has evolved throughout the past few decades, specifically in the field of implantology. Patients are preferring endosseous procedures to traditional dentures and other removable prostheses to increase stability and comfort, and to decrease pain.¹ Conventional implants require several procedures involving multiple appointments and upwards of a year until completion; although some newer techniques promote a faster completion time. The “All-on-4” technique is an immediate conventional implant procedure in which 4 large-diameter implants (2 in the anterior and 2 in the posterior) are inserted at a 45° angle to take advantage of the available bone and to reduce the need for bone augmentation and/or sinus lift.²

According to Nobel Biocare’s All-on-4 treatment concept manual, a minimum of 5.0 mm in bone width and 8.0 mm in bone height is necessary to begin the procedure.³ (All-On-4 is a registered patent owned by Nobel Biocare developed together with Paulo Malo, DDS, PhD, at the MALO CLINIC.) Though the All-on-4 technique claims to eliminate the need for bone augmentations and sinus lifts, these procedures cannot always be eliminated if the bone quantity does not meet the requirements due to the large diameter of a conventional implant.^1-2,4 While the All-on-4 technique offers acceptable support with 4 implants, the endosseous procedure is still invasive and time consuming compared to the immediate and early loading procedures used with mini dental implants.

Read more via A Mini Dental Implant Alternative to All-on-Four | Dentistry Today

photo courtesy of Dentistry Today

It is said that a first impression is everything, and this is especially true in the field of dentistry. The art and science of taking an excellent impression plays a critical role in the restorative process. Without a stable and accurate replica of the patient’s dentition and surrounding soft-tissue landmarks, creating an accurate and well-fitting dental prosthesis or lab-fabricated restoration is virtually impossible. Impression materials provide a straightforward and reliable method of producing the negative likeness of a patient’s tooth structure and surrounding soft-tissue landmarks needed to finalize a prosthesis or indirect restoration.

One major problem is that most dentists rely on only one impression material to address all clinical needs. Clinicians may be better served to stock more than one type of impression material to accommodate a variety of clinical situations.

This article will discuss the 3 most common classifications of impression materials: polyether (PE), vinyl polysiloxane (VPS), and a hybrid material called vinyl polyether siloxane (VPES). In addition, 3 mini case reports will be presented, focusing on the impression to give the clinician an understanding of the rationale that may be used when choosing the best impression material from different types of materials in various clinical situations. This article will assist the clinician in making optimal impression material choices…

Read more via Three Impression Material Classifications: A Comparison | Dentistry Today