Digital Dentistry

1. Smile Design/Smile Makeover

The process including the re-invention and the improvement of the patient’s smile is called “smile design/smile makeover”. During this process, dental treatments such as laminate veneers, teeth whitening, ceramic/zirconia/metal-ceramic crowns, implant-supported restorations, fixed and removable dentures may be planned regarding the need of the patient and the indication. These treatment options are determined by the clinician and discussed with the patient. By means of conventional accelerated workflow and digital technology, this procedure can end up in a short period of time. At the end of the treatment, the smile of the patient is enhanced.

2. CAD/CAM Technology

• Digital impressions are easily obtained by intra-oral scanners and transferred to the CAD/CAM Machine/Device.
• This method allows the clinician to make the design of the restoration particularly by himself/herself. Once the designing of the restoration is completed, the fabrication stage of the ceramic restorations start on the milling unit of the machine.
• After a short period of time, at the same appointment, the restoration is ready to be cemented.
• Glass-ceramic and zirconia crowns (or short-span bridges), implant-supported zirconia/ceramic restorations, ceramic laminate veneers, endocrowns etc. are the dental treatment options that can be fabricated by CAD/CAM Method.

3. Fixed Restorations

Single-unit crowns and bridges are fixed restorations that are prepared like a cap on circumferentially reducted and reshaped teeth. Dental alloys and zirconia can be preferred as infrastructures for these restorations. Porcelain-fused-to-metal, zirconia based ceramic, full-contour zirconia and full-ceramic crowns or bridges are the main treatment options for fixed restorations.

4. Ceramic/Porcelain Laminate Veneers

Ceramic laminate veneers are fixed partial restorations which cover only one surface of the teeth (usually the front surface) in order to help the transforming of the previous smile into a new esthetic one. Very thin layers of dental porcelain having aproximately 0.5 mm of thickness can be fabricated conventionally or digitally and cemented adhesively to the tooth. Malpositioned, malformed, worn or discolored teeth can be restored with the help of porcelain veneers. This treatment is a minimally invasive method for a smile makeover and it involves a very small amount of enamel surface reduction/preparation.

The bite/occlusion of the patient must be eligible for veneers and it has to be inspected visually by the dental practitioner before the beginning of the treatment.

5. Zirconia Based Crowns/Bridges

Zirconia based restorations are non-allergenic when compared to porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations. These restorations can reinstate the natural teeth appearance by means of having no gray dental alloy framework. A digital workflow is followed in the fabrication procedure of zirconia frameworks (CAD/CAM method: Computer-Aided-Design/Computer-Aided-Manufacturing) Zirconia crowns/bridges can be applied to incisor, premolar and molar teeth.

6. Glass-Ceramic Crowns/Bridges

The appearance of glass-ceramic restorations are very similar to natural teeth enamel and this concludes with a more esthetic outcome. These restorations are mainly indicated for incisors and premolars.

7. Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Restorations

These restorations are gold standard still and they have become a routine in dental practice since they have low costs, high fracture strength and provide good esthetics. They can be applied any tooth in the oral cavity.

8. Implant Supported Fixed Restorations

Single-unit implant-supported crowns or multiple-unit bridges are fixed restorations that are prepared like a cap on circumferentially reshaped implant abutment. Dental alloys and zirconia can be preferred as infrastructures for these restorations. Porcelain-fused-to-metal, zirconia based ceramic, full-contour zirconia and full-ceramic crowns or bridges are the main treatment options for implant-supported fixed restorations.

What does “an implant abutment” mean?

An implant abutment is the prosthetic tool in the implant system that helps connecting the fixture of the implant and the prosthetic restoration (implant supported crown, implant supported bridge etc). Based on the retention type, the implant abutments can be classified into two groups: cement-retained abutments and screw-retained abutments. The preference of the type retention is determined according to the treatment and indication of the case. However, custom abutment fabrication (zirconia, ceramics or Titanium alloy) may be needed sometimes for cases like anterior region implant restorations or where an implant angulation problem is discussed.

Dental cements are the luting agents that fill the gap between the restoration and the abutment. The retention of the cement-retained abutments is based on the cement and the friction between the abutment and the crown.

The retention of screw-retained restorations is based on the abutment screw and an alternative fabrication method is followed in the laboratory for preparing these types of restorations.

All-on-Four

All-on-Four is a treatment option for edentulous patients in which a full-arch fixed prosthesis is supported by 4 implants. During the minimum 3 months of healing process, a fixed temporary prosthesis can be prepared and stabilized on these implants in the same session. However, in other methods, patients can only have a removable prosthesis for the healing period.

Eligibility for the All-On-4 method can be determined through panoramic dental x-rays and 3-D tomography scans

Implant Supported Removable Overdenture Prosthesis

Removable dentures built up on less-unit implants (usually 2-4 implants) are called implant overdenture restorations. Stud attachments and bar attachments are the main attachments that provide retention for these type of implant restorations.

Anti-Snoring Device/Mandibular Advancement-Repositioning Device

Sleep apnea is a dangerous sleep disorder needing to be treated. Patients suffering from severe snoring and sleep apnea are indicated for oral anti-snoring devices. This removable and basic device can be prepared by obtaining the impressions of upper and lower jaw and registration of the eligible lower jaw position with a slight forward movement. The device helps opening the airway and making it stay unobstructed. The sleep quality is improved.

Teeth Grinding and Clenching: Bruxism

The condition in which people grind their teeth and clench their jaw is called Bruxism. This may happen when the bruxist patient is awake or during the sleep. Sleep bruxism can be given as an example for sleep-related disorders. In the case of sleep bruxism, the family members usually become aware of the teeth grinding and clenching of the patient. Awake bruxism is the situation in which people grind and clench their teeth unconsciously when they are anxious and under stress. Some common symptoms of bruxism can be listed as: worn teeth, increased sensitivity of the tooth, facial pain, headaches, earaches, exhausted jaw muscles etc. Dental night guard or occlusal splint is the basic dental treatment for bruxism which can be applied on the teeth protecting the teeth surfaces from severe damage and lowering the pressure between the jaws and on the temporomandibular joint. Severe and untreated bruxism may lead to further temporomandibular disorders in the future unfortunately.

Precision Attachments in Prosthodontics

Conventional clasp-retaining removable partial denture wearers often make complaints about the decreased chewing ability, stability, retention and poor esthetics. ‘Precision Attachments’ connect the fixed and removable parts of the partial denture. They provide an improvement for the function and cosmetic appearance of the removable partial dentures. This concludes with the increase in the stability and retention of the prosthesis.

Telescopic Partial Dentures

Implant supported restorations may not be suitable for patients having severe bone and ridge resorption. The telescopic partial dentures are built on the abutment teeth, therefore, the mastication forces can go directly through these abutment teeth. This design prevents the moving of the denture during chewing. Double crown structure is made on the abutment teeth to hold the removable prosthesis. Inner crown structure is cemented on the tooth and the external crown structure is added in the framework of the removable prosthesis. Thus, the abutment tooth is protected from decaying and removable prosthesis can gain stability. The external crown structure fits carefully on the primary coping on the abutment tooth. As a conclusion, a good retention is provided.

Endocrown

After the endodontic treatment, the tooth structure becomes more fragile since the pulp and the surrounding tissues are removed. Especially on the molar teeth, a big amount of coronal destruction usually occur after the endodontic treatment. Endocrowns can restore the missing coronal and inner radix structures of the teeth. Endocrown is a single restoration made up of ceramics. It must be cemented adhesively in which microretention is provided. Endocrown is an aesthetic and conservative treatment especially for posterior teeth with a completed root canal treatment.

Porcelain Repair

The chipping and the fracture of the suprastructure porcelain can be repaired easily in single session.

Fiber Reinforced Restorations

These type of restorations can be completed in single session. A tooth-shaped composite restoration is build up circumferentially on the fiber material which is stabilized adhesively on the neighbouring teeth. This treatment is applied usually in case of single tooth loss replacement.

 Department Of Prosthethics

Prosthetic dental  education is given for 5 years in our department. Prosthetics covers a large area of ​​theoretical and practical five-year dental education.  Besides 5 year dental education , in order to train specialist/expert dentists, our department provides both 4 year prosthetic phd education and master education. In Ege University Faculty of Dentistry Department of Prosthethics, following the latest scientific and technological innovations ;

• Crown-bridge prosthesis (Zirconia, glass ceramic , metal fused )
• Removable Prosthesis ( Total and partial prosthesis)
• Precision Attachement Crown and Prosthesis
• Implant Based Prosthesis ( Fixed and Removable Prosthesis)
• Overdentures
• Computer Aided Design – Computer Aided Manufacture Prosthesis (CAD-CAM)
• Maxillofacial Prosthesis (Obturator , Eye-Ear Prosthesis , Snoring Appliance )
• Inlay , Onlay
• Laminate Veneer
• Post-core
• Protecting Night Guard ( for bruxism and teeth grinding)
• Diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular joint disfunction
• Adhesive fiber bridges (without tooth preparation)
• Repairing ceramics in mouth
• Prosthesis in children with congenitally missing teeth
• Prosthetic treatment of geriatric patients

Are being done routinely and patients’ , who are  coming to our clinic , missing teeth , loss of dental tooth structures , aesthethics, occlusion , temporomandibular joint , jaw-face, phonation , sleep apnoea , snoring and problems like allergy are being solved in our clinic.