Current concepts on the management of tooth wear: part 4. An overview of the restorative techniques and dental materials commonly applied for the management of tooth wear.

This final article of the four part series on the current concepts of tooth wear will provide the reader with an evaluation of the data available in the contemporary literature with regards to the survival analysis of differing restorative materials, and their respective methods of application to treat tooth wear. It is vital that the dental operator is familiar with the role of differing materials which may be used to restore the worn dentition, some of which may prove to be more suitable for the management of particular patterns of tooth wear than others. The active management of tooth wear unfortunately commits the patient to a lifelong need for considerable maintenance, and it is imperative that this is understood from the outset.

Current concepts on the management of tooth wear: part 3. Active restorative care 2: the management of generalised tooth wear.

Paper 3 of this series on the current concepts of tooth wear management will focus on the provision of active restorative intervention for cases presenting with generalised tooth wear. The use of both contemporary adhesive and traditional conventional techniques applied to treat cases of generalised tooth wear will be discussed, including a consideration of the merits and drawbacks of each approach respectively.

Current concepts on the management of tooth wear: part 1. Assessment, treatment planning and strategies for the prevention and the passive management of tooth wear.

The aim of this series of four articles on tooth wear management is to provide the reader with the necessary information in order to be able to successfully manage cases of tooth wear, regardless of the cause, severity and location of the wear pattern seen. The content will largely focus on contemporary clinical techniques, illustrated where possible by case examples. Emphasis will be placed on 'additive adhesive techniques' utilising fixed prosthodontic protocols; however, cases of tooth wear amongst partially dentate patients involving the use of removable prostheses will also be described. The importance of patient consent and contingency planning will also be discussed. Paper 1 will describe the assessment of the wear patient, including the rationale for the planning of dental care. Also discussed will be the administration of preventative and passive management strategies for cases displaying tooth wear.

Current concepts on the management of tooth wear: part 2. Active restorative care 1: the management of localised tooth wear.

This second of the four part series of articles on the current concepts of tooth wear management will focus on the provision of active restorative care, where the implementation of a preventative, passive approach may prove insufficient to meet the patient's expectations, or indeed prove to be sufficiently adequate to address the extent of the underlying pathology to the desired level of clinical satisfaction. The active restorative management of cases presenting with localised tooth wear (of either the anterior, posterior, maxillary or mandibular variety) will be considered in depth in this paper, including a description of the commonly applied techniques and treatment strategies, where possible illustrated by case examples.