White spot lesions (WSL) are common during or after orthodontic treatment. Managing these lesions is a challenge. The following are best practice recommendations based on current research. Most studies report the incidence of new clinically visible WSL occurring during orthodontic … Read more
At the time you try-in a patient’s final restorations, if there is a cant to the occlusal plane or midline, you can follow these steps to assess or rectify the situation. • Evaluate the restorations on the mounted cast. Place the … Read more
If you’re like me, you or your team has trouble getting the contacts on bitewings open at times. I would like to share a simple tip to help you get those difficult contacts open on your bitewings. While you might … Read more
• 1957: S.S. White Company introduced the Borden Airotor, the first successful air-driven handpiece. This instrument is regarded as the precursor to the present generation of high-speed handpieces [3]. • 1992: ADA/FDA issued guidelines mandating routine handpiece autoclave sterilization after every instance … Read more
Once the decision is made to make a custom incisal guide table, the following sequence of steps should be followed. Determine if you are going to restore the patient in a seated condylar position (CR) or in maximum intercuspal position … Read more
A common question asked of me is: “When should I make or prescribe a custom incisal guide table?” If there is no pathway wear, generally there is not a need for one to be made. I suggest one should … Read more
The following is a review of available research on effective pain reducing tactics during local anesthesia injections. Some of these are commonly used while others are not. Incorporating many or most of these ideas within our technique will take us … Read more
One of the challenges of creating surgical guides for full arch restorations is making a scan with a radio-opaque material. Typically, an interim prosthesis is in place prior to the scan and final prosthesis. There are many different ways to … Read more
Let’s say you are to restore # 19 with an MO composite restoration so you have given a 2% Lidocaine 1:100k epinephrine inferior alveolar nerve block to the patient. After 10 minutes of waiting you start the prep on the … Read more
Recently I wrote about the importance of paying close attention to the pulpal spaces on radiographs. While the prognosis of the tooth discussed last time was hopeless, I would like to share another example from the same patient and fortunately … Read more