CV
Graduated in Dentistry in 2002; Master of Science and PhD in “Dental materials and their clinical applications”. Associate Professor of Prosthodontics and Digital Dentistry at the University Federico II of Napoli. Lecturer at several national and international Post-graduate and Master Courses in different Universities. Expert and consultant for international dental companies. Author of more than 180 publications in national and international peer-reviewed journals and co-author of chapters of books on Prosthodontics. Reviewer of more than 30 international peer-reviewed journals. Speaker at national and international meetings. Member of the Italian Society of Prosthodontics and Oral Rehabilitation (SIPRO). Winner of many national and international prizes for research and clinical activity. Co-founder of the Scientific Unit of Digital Dentistry (SUDD) of the University Federico II of Napoli, of the Napoli Prosthodontic Team and of the dental community Zerodonto.
Restorative Materials and Luting Cements in Prosthodontics: Classification and Indications for Clinical Use
In the era of Digital Dentistry, the implementation in the daily practice of the most advanced technologies has got a synergic impulse from the enhanced mechanical and manufacturing properties of the new generation of dental materials. Among these, CAD-CAM metal-free ceramics, just like high strength polycrystalline ceramics, such as zirconia, and reinforced glassy ceramics, such as lithium disilicate, offer undeniable advantages as high esthetic potential, astounding optical characteristics, reliable mechanical properties, excellent consistency in terms of precision and accuracy due to the manufacturing technologies and more convenient production timing. Moreover, different cementation systems are available, each with specific characteristics and indications. The selection of luting agents is not always simple and univocal and too often clinicians are influenced by marketing strategies and clinical trends. Viceversa, the proper choice of dental cements and luting techniques should be performed considering all the variables of each clinical case, carefully evaluating the type of restorative material and the physical and biological properties of the cementation susbtrates.
Learning objectives
- Provide a clinical and scientific revision of the rational use of metal-free materials in prosthodontics
- Suggest some clinical hints validated by the most recent literature to properly select luting agents and cementation techniques
- Highlight the differences between conventional luting and adhesive bonding
Tooth Wear: Classification and Restorative Options
The prevalence of dental wear, due to mechanical, chemical or mixed causes, is perceived as an escalating problem and has been recognized as one of the main consequences of post-Covid syndromes. The loss of tooth substance involves not only functional disturbances (i.e. decreased masticatory efficiency, dentinal hypersensitivity, loss of the vertical dimension of occlusion, phonetic problems, atypical swallowing, dental fractures) but also esthetic ones, with a severe impact on the relational life and on the patients' self-esteem. In recent years, thanks to the advantages offered by digital dentistry and adhesive techniques, the therapeutic options for the minimally invasive treatment of dental wear have expanded significantly. The traditional preparations for fixed prostheses, more aggressive, have been revisited according to new operative protocols and increasingly performing restorative materials, directing the treatment plan mainly towards an additive approach. The purpose of the lecture is to provide an updated classification of dental wear, so as to formulate a precise diagnosis and proceed with the choice of the most appropriate type of rehabilitation for each patient.
Learning objectives
- How to classify tooth wear
- How to make a differential diagnosis between different types of tooth wear
- How to make a treatment planning to restore worn dentitions