Implant position is critical to esthetic success, especially when the patient has a high smile line and is esthetically aware. At times, using an angled abutment that changes the long axis of the restoration can be helpful, at other times … Read more
Yesterday by Steve Ratcliff 1
Some erosive patterns are head scratchers. How does erosion occur in just one part of the mouth? With some bulimic patients, there is more wear on one side of the mouth because they turn their head to one side when … Read more
26 days ago by Steve Ratcliff 0
Seems like a simple concept, doesn’t it? Do a nice porcelain veneer and close those ugly black triangles or diastemas? Here’s a quick tip that will result in more natural results and your ceramist will love you for it. When … Read more
33 days ago by Steve Ratcliff 0
Continuing our series on erosion and attrition, one of the more common causes of intrinsic erosion is Chronic Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. GERD is a condition where the esophageal sphincter allows stomach acids to leak out of the stomach … Read more
42 days ago by Steve Ratcliff 0
In a previous article I talked about the difference between erosion and attrition. In the next few articles I’ll be discussing the different kinds of erosion. Erosion or wear caused by the introduction of corrosive agents has a satiny finish … Read more
53 days ago by Steve Ratcliff 0
I remember many years back my dad telling me that his dentist made him a night guard for his “grinding habit.” A few years later he underwent a full year of misery from treatment for his esophageal cancer that resulted … Read more
57 days ago by Steve Ratcliff 0
Most of us have been taught that ideal occlusion means canine guidance, or mutually protected occlusion. In fact, that is the preferred occlusal scheme in many instances. It requires the least amount of muscle activity for the mandible to move … Read more
68 days ago by Steve Ratcliff 9
The stick “bite” is a quick and easy reference for your ceramist. It’s not really a bite registration; rather, it is a useful tool for the technician to have a visual reference to the esthetic plane or incisal edge … Read more
74 days ago by Steve Ratcliff 8
There is no point to this article other than to share a most unusual clinical finding. This patient had her dentistry done in Eastern Europe many years ago. She mentioned that occasionally she had some bleeding around the bridge. Ultimately, … Read more
81 days ago by Steve Ratcliff 0
One of the foundations of an esthetic restoration is gingival position. It is always better to have that discussion with patients before we begin. I remember all too well having a patient ask me why their new crown was shorter … Read more
82 days ago by Steve Ratcliff 0
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