ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Planning for success is critical in clinical dentistry and in the management of a dental practice. Dentists need to apply basic business principles to planning their dental careers as they develop a vision, deliver quality products and services, and surpass patients,' staff members' and their own expectations. CONCLUSIONS: By applying general business management principles, dental practices can develop a logical, systematic approach to the management of a professional services business. For many dental professionals, these concepts were not learned in an undergraduate dental educational program and need to be mastered after professional school. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Ideally, each dentist will establish a philosophical course that provides direction to the practice of dentistry. For a private dental practitioner, part of his or her goal is to create a tangible, transferable asset and a solid business plan that can benefit the practitioner in the present, as well as in the future practice transition.
Subject(s)
Education, Dental , Practice Management, Dental , Attitude of Health Personnel , Career Mobility , Dentists , Education, Dental, Continuing , Humans , Interprofessional Relations , Motivation , Organizational Objectives , Philosophy, Dental , Practice Management, Dental/economics , Practice Management, Dental/organization & administration , Private Practice , Quality of Health CareABSTRACT
Advances in tissue engineering provide an increased level of understanding of the mechanical and chemical stimuli that regulate tissue responses. Oral tissue engineering can be applied to recreate missing osseous or dental structures or correct orofacial deformities, changing the patient's smile, midfacial height, and the soft tissue drape. Biomechanical principles can also be applied to tissue engineering to enhance the bone/tooth or bone/implant functionality and long-term stability. Advancements are also being achieved in the area of biomimetics that will allow the creation of new biologic replacements for missing oral structures. The opportunity for bioengineering to charter the course of tooth regeneration is an exciting prospect and will improve the quality of life for patients for decades to come.
Subject(s)
Dentistry/methods , Oral Surgical Procedures/methods , Tissue Engineering/methods , Biomechanical Phenomena , Bone Transplantation/methods , HumansABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: The diagnoses of cracked teeth and incomplete coronal fracture have historically been symptom based. The dental operating microscope at 16x magnification can fundamentally change a clinician's ability to diagnose such conditions. Clinicians have been observing cracks under extreme magnification for nearly a decade. Patterns have become clear that can lead to appropriate treatment prior to symptoms or to devastation to tooth structure. Conversely, many cracks are not structural and can lead to misdiagnosis and overtreatment. Methodic microscopic examination, an understanding of crack progression, and an appreciation of the types of cracks will guide a doctor to make appropriate decisions. Teeth can have structural cracks in various stages. To date, diagnosis and treatment are very often at end stage of crack development. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This article gives new guidelines for recognition, visualization, classification, and treatment of cracked teeth based on the routine use of 16x magnification. The significance of enamel cracks as they relate to dentinal cracks is detailed.
Subject(s)
Cracked Tooth Syndrome/diagnosis , Dental Equipment , Microscopy , Coloring Agents , Cracked Tooth Syndrome/classification , Cracked Tooth Syndrome/pathology , Cracked Tooth Syndrome/therapy , Dental Enamel/injuries , Dental Enamel/pathology , Dentin/injuries , Dentin/pathology , Humans , Microscopy/instrumentation , Tooth Crown/injuries , TransilluminationABSTRACT
The evolution of the esthetic movement has been sustained over time because it touches a base psychological need for most people to feel they are attractive, youthful, and a vital part of society. Through well-organized team diagnosis and treatment planning, patients can benefit from a solid diagnostic and prerestorative foundation that can more predictably produce consistent optimal treatment results. As the chief diagnostician and treatment supervisor, the restorative dentist must continue to advance his or her knowledge and training to provide the other team members with a concise treatment vision for the patient. With a newly developed synergy among the disciplines of dentistry for team treatment and tremendous advancement in dental markets and equipment, it is possible to create natural-looking, esthetic rehabilitative treatments.
Subject(s)
Esthetics, Dental , Mouth Rehabilitation , Adult , Dental Porcelain , Dental Restoration, Permanent , Dental Veneers , Female , Gingiva/surgery , Humans , Middle Aged , Patient Care TeamABSTRACT
The SL Ultrasonic Tips provide a new option for specific microlesion indications. New designs are continuing to be developed and refined to help enhance the clinician's ability to provide quality treatment in a conservative way. With the increase in the use of aided vision for clinical dentistry, the need for alternative instrumentation that gives the dual benefit of visibility and preservation of tooth structure will become increasingly valuable.
