Course Description

Digital dentistry is quickly becoming an important factor in our current standard of care. It is changing the economics, efficiencies, and quality of dental treatment. It is not an issue of if you’re going to adopt it, but when. The question to ask is really, “will you incorporate it soon enough to create a competitive advantage for your practice?” 

This program will provide an overview of the technology available now, and for the future, to shape your dental implant practice and provide the confidence needed to help enhance your practice and improve patient outcomes.

Course Description

Experience this Heartland Dental free continuing education course using proven data with industry partners showing the effectiveness and return of investment on the use of intraoral scanners.

Dr. Robert Mongrain, Heartland Dental's Director of Clinical Advocacy, will present the course. 

Zirconia crowns have gained popularity over the past decade. Most dental practices are switching from the conventional PFM crowns and moving towards the use of zirconia for creating fixed dental restorations because zirconia restorations provide strength and lifelike esthetics. Additionally, zirconia is an extremely durable material and can withstand forceful chewing and grinding over an extended period of time. If properly maintained, zirconia restorations can last a patient’s lifetime. Because of its newness, many dentists refrain from using zirconia crowns or learning how to properly cement them into their patient’s mouths. Knowing how to properly cement and bond zirconia is one of the key factors to placing successful zirconia restorations.

Modern endodontics offers patients advancements in technologies, procedures, and materials. For your patients who have diseased or damaged teeth, giving your patients treatment options to either save their natural teeth or extract teeth and replace with dental implants is beneficial to help meet their aesthetic, functional, and economic needs. It is important to explain all of the options to your patients, so they understand how specific treatments will affect them. Always evaluate your patient’s condition to present the best treatment plans that will give them optimal oral health. An Italian study conducted in 2018 sought to highlight the importance of ensuring the patient’s participation during dental treatment decision-making. Furthermore, researchers wanted to evaluate whether dental treatment cost influences patients’ oral health decisions. 

Orthodontic anchorage is a fairly new dental innovation that is used to resist the force applied to patients’ teeth. Successful orthodontic anchorage treatments rely on the adequate control of the anchorage. The main challenge in using the natural dentition for anchorage of minor tooth movements, whether with traditional fixed orthodontic appliances or clear aligners, is the management of reciprocal forces. These forces can result in unintended movement of adjacent teeth, apical root resorption, and disruption of occlusal harmony, including supraeruption and canting. Ideas and concepts are constantly evolving in the area of orthodontic anchorage. It is important to stay up-to-date on the latest innovations and trends. In the study reviewed below, researchers discussed and analyzed the effectiveness of orthodontic miniscrew implants in anchorage reinforcement during en-masse retraction. 

In today’s world, dental implants are considered the most advanced solution for tooth restoration. Technology is helping dental and oral health clinicians provide faster, more accurate, and well-rounded treatment to their patients. Before the invention of modern dental implants in 1952, people sought treatment for replacing teeth using a variety of methods. Through decades of scientific research and clinical practice, researchers improved implant design and functionality. Throughout the history of civilization, people have tried to replace teeth for functional and aesthetic reasons. For a historical look at the development of dental implants, read below. 

Bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching) is generally considered a contraindication for dental implants, although the evidence for this is usually based on clinical experience only. There is generalized agreement that excessive stress to the bone-implant boundary may result in implant overload and failure.

Thanks to advancements in dental technology, you and your technicians can provide quicker and more precise implant treatment to your patients. For dental implant treatment, three to sixth months is the general recovery time. Based on the findings of a new case study, nerve electrical stimulation has the potential to develop a groundbreaking method to facilitate the implant-bone osseointegration process.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns are among the most popular and reliable restorations because of its durability and natural esthetics. Using a cast metal substructure that is veneered with porcelain, this material closely mimics the appearance of a natural tooth. 

Technology is shaping the future of dental implants, and the possibilities for innovations are endless. In the United States alone, over 100 million people are missing at least one tooth. Dental implants are predicted to be worth over $4.4 billion dollars globally by 2020. Due to this growing number, it’s important to stay up to date on the latest techniques and devices used in oral implantation.