Crown Lengthening and Alveolar Ridge Preservation

Functional and Esthetic Crown-lengthening Procedures 

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Restorative dentistry as an art and science has made impressive advancements both in techniques and materials that could be utilized to restore teeth. However, dentists are still often encountered with situations that the remaining tooth structure above the gingiva is not adequate to provide predictable and long-term restorative success. Additionally, in today’s world, esthetics and harmonious smiles are not considered “luxury” any longer. More patients are visiting their dentists every day asking for ways to improve their “gummy” or uneven smiles. Unfortunately, despite the increased demand for functional and/ or esthetic crown-lengthening, the clinical reality is that these procedures remain underutilized or abused. This Lecture aims to provide the necessary knowledge and an evidence-based approach to functional and esthetic crown-lengthening procedures. An evidence-based review of concepts, indications/ contraindications, surgical techniques, and different approaches to enhance surgical outcomes and consequently long-term restorative stability and success will be provided.

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Soft and hard tissue preservation with EVERY tooth extraction: The Ridge Preservation Techniques

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Bone loss around extraction sites is often a major concern for both the patient and the dentist. This is frequently further complicated by loss of soft-tissue volume or decrease in soft-tissue quality, which could present future surgical, periodontal or prosthodontic challenges, especially in the aesthetic areas. Many procedures and materials have been used to regain or cover lost bone structure (such as bone and gingival grafts). However, the golden rule of “prevention is better than cure” applies here as well and dentists can often prevent or mitigate the effects of tooth loss on the hard and soft-tissue profile of their patients. This presentation aims at shedding more light on this important topic.