Nine Key Concepts of Biomimetics
The purpose of this Biomimetic Study Club is to inform dedicated students and dentists of the growing world of biomimetic dentistry. This will be achieved by presenting the most updated scientific research articles and by growing this community through online discussion. Biomimetic dentistry is defined as "mimicking nature". The concepts of biomimetics will help restore proper morphology, function, and esthetics to the natural tooth. The goal is to be as mimimally invasive as possible while preserving tooth structure and to place proper restorations that match the existing properties of the intact tooth. Pascal Magne, explains in his book, Bonded Porcelain Restorations in the Anterior Dentition: A Biomimetic Approach, how these concepts can be applied to your practice. Studying from this book, which was written by my teacher and mentor, is highly recommend in your studies if you want to further your understanding of biomimetic dentistry. The Biomimetic Study Club will incorprate the details of this book and other information that is currently being published. Outlined below are nine topics that are essential to understand biomimetic dentistry. Content will be updated periodically.
1. Stress Distribution within Intact Teeth
Photo Source: Johan Figueira
"Physiologic performance of intact teeth is the result of an intimate and balanced relationship between biologic, mechanical, functional, and esthetic parameters. "
2. Parameters of Natural Oral Esthetics
Photo Source: Johan Figueira
"This overview of esthetic principles is not limited to only tooth esthetics but includes gingival esthetics and the final esthetic integration into the frame of the smile, face, and, more generally, the individual. "
3. Ultraconservative Treatment
Photo Source: Johan Figueira
"Treatment options should always first include the simplest procedures (such as chem ical treatments and freehand composites) and then progress toward more sophisticated approaches (laminate veneers and full-coverage crowns) only when required."
4. BPR: Bonded Porcelain Restorations
Photo Source: Johan Figueira
"The great potential of bonded porcelain restorations can be understood with respect to the scientific and clinically relevant parameters related to biology, function, and mechanics. Ceramic veneers also provide the operator w ith a powerful moda lity for esthetics. Even when esthetics is not the prirncry objeclive, it stili requires special consideration. Modification of form, position, and color of anterior teeth generates significant effects on the smile, which in turn can enhance the patient's personality and social life. "
5. Indications, Treatment Plan, Diagnostic Approach
Photo Source: Johan Figueira
"This treatment outcome strongly depends on the therapeutic apÂproach chosen, the driving force of which should be preservation of the thin remaining enamel. While a number of preparation techniques will lead to major dentin exposures, the principle of enamel preservation can be fulfilled by the use of a specific approach, ... a treatment rationale that incorporates a diagnostic template resulting from the interactive relationships between the clinician, the patient, and the denÂtal laboratory. "
6. Teeth Preparations and Impressions
Photo Source: Johan Figueira
"The optimal preparation design and finish line can vary according to the initial clinical situation, shape, and arrangement of intact hard lissues...The preparation design for bonded porcelain restorations (BPRs) should Simultaneously allow optimal marginal adaptation of the final restoration and reflect an utmost respect for the hard tissue morphology. "
7. Lab Procedures and Fabrication of Ceramic Workpiece
Photo Source: Johan Figueira
"During this final treatment phase, effort essentially focuses on the repro duction of a design that has been already tested and approved by the paÂtient during the diagnostic phase. Patient, clinician, and ceramist will inÂteract for a last clinical trial of the definitive restorations before proceeding to the final luting procedure, which ellen completes this clinical session "
8. Luting Procedures
Photo Source: Joahn Figueira
"The structural integrity of the intact tooth has been explained in port by the structure/ property relationship at the dentinoenamel junction [DEJ). Enamel and dentin alone do not have outstanding mechanical properties. Never- theless, when assembled at the DEJ, they have a unique structure that can ensure optimal function and stress transfer for a lifetime. The same statement can be claimed for bonded porcelain restorations, and the DEJ sets the reference for the ceramic-composite-tooth restorative complex. "
9. Follow Up, Maintenance, and Repair
Photo Source: Johan Figueira
"Bonded porcelain restorations (BPRs) have proved to be a very strong com- plex both in vitro and,in vivo. Medium- to long-term clinical investigations have demonstrated excellent maintenance of esthetics, high patient satisfaction, and absence ofadverse effects on gingival health. As a result, the maintenance protocol barely differs from that applied to intact natural teeth. "
Disclaimer:
Images that are listed here contain links to the site where they are found. All respect is given back to the original owner/creator of the images. None of these pictures are of my own work unless noted so. They were used as an example that portrayed the information being presented. All Section heading quotes are from Pascal Magne's book. The owners of the material are people that I look up to, admire, and fully respect their work. Please take a look at the respected sites as a source of insipration.