Dental restorations are the bread and butter of dentistry and the foundation of a successful dental practice.
Dental restorations are a blend of art and science
The amalgamation of some factors leads to a dental restoration as aesthetically pleasing and functional as a sound natural tooth. However, the dentist needs to consider certain factors to guarantee pleasing anterior and posterior dental restorations.
Treatment plan
Treatment planning is the core of interventional healthcare, and therefore, dentistry too. All sub-specialities of dentistry rely upon a fool-proof treatment plan for remarkable outcomes with a good prognosis. The dentist should treat a patient while focussing on the whole and not on one or two problematic teeth. Here is what needs to be considered in terms of planning a dental restoration.
- Patient’s caries risk status
- Patient’s plaque index
- Pulp status of the tooth
- The extent of decay of the tooth
- Occlusal scheme of the patient
- Tooth integrity and fractures in the dentition
- Aesthetic expectations of the patient
- Smile evaluation
- Periodontal evaluation
- Patient’s diet, habits and parafunctional habits
- Patient’s medical history
The correct workflow
The correct workflow of restorative dentistry is a strict channel of various steps that a dentist should follow without any protocol breach. Anaesthesia and isolation are the two key players of restorative dentistry. However, there are few prerequisites before starting the procedure and include shade matching and marking occlusal contacts. Furthermore, pulpal considerations are also an essential part of the workflow.
Deciding the type of dental restoration
A thorough understanding of the types of restorations is necessary for the operator. The operator must decide beforehand, i.e., whether a direct or an indirect repair is required and which dental material is best for the case.
Understanding the dental materials
If you ever wondered in your dental school why so much emphasis was laid on comprehending the properties of the dental materials, you can now connect the dots. The dental materials act as a silent hero and help you climb the stairs of successful and flawless restorative practice. Whether direct or indirect, each restorative material has its dimensions, which further impacts the pre-operative, operative, and post-operative procedures.
Adhesives have now gripped the dental world. Knowledge of adhesion is imperative while restoring a tooth with a dental composite. However, this is not the only factor to be considered; there is a set of rules related to the properties of composites, which, if neglected, can harm the restoration.
Communication with the laboratory
The laboratory is an operator’s right hand when it comes to indirect restorations. Often, the operator performs his best, but due to the lack of adequate communication with the lab technician or failure of the lab to provide quality work, the dental restoration is either not aesthetically appealing or does not function well.
Say ‘no’ to cheap vendors
It is recommended not to get attracted to the cheap vendors in the dental market. Experts suggest seeking advice from experienced professionals and select authentic dealers for all dental products, including dental materials. Affordable products arguably make the buyer happy at the time of purchase, but the happiness soon shatters when the product speaks itself of its flaws once in the patient’s mouth. Not only are the results unsettling, but the dentist loses several patients due to unsatisfactory results.
Excellence needs persistent efforts
Excellence is a habit. In dentistry, whether it’s restorative dentistry or any other sub-speciality, excellence in practice is achieved by continuous efforts. Practice and constant learning is the key. Incorporating dental photography and magnification works wonders. Due to such equipment, the operator can easily catch flaws in work that may not be evident to the naked eye. Moreover, these advancements help in producing intricate and immaculate restorations.
The sources of guidance
A prime rule to be remembered is to avoid over-treating the patient in the haste of performing wonders and heroic dentistry. There are two critical sources of guidance for the operator. The first is nature, and the second is dental research.
While performing restorative work, you must observe opposing and adjacent teeth to give an outcome synchrony with other teeth. Conditions may not always be ideal. For instance, a patient may have teeth that may not have perfect anatomy and occlusion. In such cases, instead of going for an ideal approach, a dentist should give restoration according to the patient’s oral cavity.
Practitioners must stay abreast with the insightful research in the field of restorative dentistry to perform well. Nevertheless, this goes for all specialities of dentistry.
