Departments / Restorative Dentistry

Robert J. Flinton, Chair

973-972-4615

The Department of Restorative Dentistry has a broad range of responsibilities. interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary in nature. The mission of the Department is to promote professional standards of excellence among students and health professionals in meeting the oral health needs of the population, and provide knowledge and training to educate a general dentist with broad clinical skills, diagnostic acumen and treatment planning ability.

Prosthodontics is that branch of dentistry pertaining to the restoration and maintenance of oral function, comfort, appearance and health of the patient by the restoration of natural teeth and/or the replacement of missing teeth and contiguous oral and maxillofacial tissues with artificial substitutes.

The Prosthodontic curriculum addresses these specific areas:

Fixed prosthodontics involves the restoration and replacement of teeth with porcelain, cast metal or combinations of porcelain and metal for crowns and bridges permanently fixed in the mouth.

Removable prosthodontics involves the restoration and maintenance of oral function by the replacement of missing teeth and structures with removable artificial devices. It is the science of dentistry in which the dentist can improve the functional and aesthetic conditions of the patient. This includes use of complete dentures, removable partial dentures, maxillofacial prostheses and implant restorations.

Dental biomaterials used to reconstruct mouths of patients are continuously evaluated for their effects on living tissues. The physical and mechanical properties of dental biomaterials are measured and discussed with students.

THE DEPARTMENT OFFERS THE FOLLOWING COURSES.

Year One
Basic Clinical Skills. This course introduces the first year student to the dynamics of the doctor/patient relationship through numerous rotations in most phases of clinical dentistry. The course is designed to allow early patient contact by applying material from lecture and laboratory and to familiarize the students with policies and procedures of the clinics.

Basic Dental Anatomy Didactic & Laboratory. This course prepares the student to recognize and demonstrate knowledge of basic dental terminology and the morphological characteristics of all primary and secondary teeth. Students perform laboratory exercises in identification and carving of teeth. This course is presented in a lecture/laboratory format.

Preclinical General Dentistry I Didactic. This course is a lecture series for the introduction to patient care regarding the preparation and restoration of carious, damaged and defective teeth. The importance of accurate treatment records is emphasized. The course provides the basis for choosing the proper restorative materials to be used based on function, esthetics and longevity.

Preclinical General Dentistry I Laboratory. This course provides the student with the fundamental principles of cavity preparation and restoration of teeth. Laboratory procedures are designed to stimulate clinical conditions. Patient simulators are used to facilitate psychomotor development in operative dentistry skills of cavity preparations and the restoration of teeth. Restorative materials such as amalgam and composite are discussed, detailing their properties and handling characteristics. This course also provides an introduction into caries diagnosis detection and management.

Occlusion Didactic and Laboratory. This is a first year foundation course which prepares the student to recognize and demonstrate knowledge of basic principles of occlusion. Students perform laboratory exercises on dental articulators. This course is presented in a lecture/laboratory format.

Complete Dentures I Didactic. This first year preclinical course introduces freshmen students to complete denture prosthodontics. The content focuses on the sequential clinical and laboratory steps involved in the fabrication of complete dentures. The lecture format closely follows the clinical and laboratory steps from initial impressions to post-insertion adjustments. The technique lectures are supported by the biological and physical sciences that justify the applied techniques. Course information is supported with audiovisual aids including transparency slides and videotape presentations. The lecture material is correlated with the Complete Denture Laboratory course (RMPR8113) presented concurrently with the lecture course.

Complete Dentures I Laboratory. This first year preclinical course focuses on both the laboratory and clinical aspect of complete denture fabrication. The clinical simulation uses manikins. The course closely follows the sequential clinical and laboratory steps for the actual clinical environment. Each laboratory session starts with a video that describes the assigned project and is supplemented with a manual and criteria project forms. Demonstration models are on display to further assist the student during the laboratory sessions. The videotapes are available for review during unscheduled hours.

Year Two
Preclinical General Dentistry II Laboratory. This course provides further instruction to prepare students for clinical work. Advanced Dentistry procedures are performed on patients including esthetic/cosmetic restorations, cast gold restorations, pin restorations, complex amalgam restorations, initial tooth bleaching, porcelain veneers.

Preclinical General Dentistry II Didactic. This course is a continuation of PGD I lecture series with lectures in advanced operative procedures which are performed on a patient as coordinated with PGD II laboratory.

Preclinical Fixed Prosthodontics Didactic and Laboratory. The goal of this second year course is to introduce students to the rationale and scientific basis for fixed prosthodontic treatment. This course consists of a series of lectures and laboratory exercises. Development of skill in clinical procedures including biomechanical principles of tooth preparation, restoration of severely broken down teeth and replacement of missing teeth are emphasized.

Complete Dentures II. This second year course has scheduled class time divided between preclinical laboratory assignments and the clinical treatment of a patient. The first quarter of the course is a preclinical tooth setting project and practical dedicated to the monoplane occlusal scheme. Lectures in support of this philosophy of denture occlusion, are presented concurrently with the laboratory exercises. The remainder of the course focuses on the clinical fabrication of complete dentures. Students are assigned to clinical groups of 4 to 5 students with one edentulous patient and a prosthodontic faculty or post-graduate doctor. This is a participation course and the students are expected to perform the actual clinical and laboratory procedures. The faculty member’s role is that of a facilitator who monitors and directs the clinical treatment and laboratory procedures. Faculty and students are encouraged to identify and share oral findings of interest with the entire class. The lecture hours, related to the clinical aspects of this course, are videotape presentations of the clinical treatment of an edentulous patient. Additional course material is included and a question/answer session follows each presentation.

Preclinical Interdisciplinary Restorative Dentistry Didactic and Laboratory. This program consists of a combination of lecture, laboratory, clinical and group seminar sessions over a period of eleven weeks in an effort to integrate aspects of fixed and removable partial dentures, immediate complete dentures and occlusion while demonstrating how prosthodontic disciplines are complemented by other dental disciplines. A problem-solving format is utilized. Students clinically obtain diagnostic casts and mount these casts using jaw relation records. Students perform an occlusal evaluation and make modifications of the occlusal plane prior to making surveyed wax patterns for cast gold surveyed crowns to be used as abutments for a removable partial denture. The student is required to design the RPD and to arrange the prosthetic teeth replacements. Finally, students prepare a maxillary cast and arrange teeth for a maxillary immediate complete denture. All steps are carried out using a simulated clinical diagnosis and treatment plan. The treatment plan is logically sequenced for treatment options which includes referral to specialists when necessary. Lectures explain and enhance procedures that will be performed in the laboratory. Clinical procedures, which are not simulated in the laboratory, are discussed.

Year Three
General Dentistry Clinic I. In this course, the student begins performing less complicated restorative procedures, then gradually moves to treating patients with increasingly more complex problems. Amalgam, cast metal and porcelain fused to metal restorations are utilized in restoring teeth to physiologic form and function. The student has the opportunity to work with a dental assistant which enhances clinical performance. Further, it enables the student to apply the fundamentals of primary and secondary prevention to his/her patients. Emphasis is placed on customizing the preventive prescription based on the needs of the patient. Evaluation is based upon a compilation of all components in this course.

Restorative Materials and Procedures. In this course, the disciplines of General Dentistry, Prosthodontics and Biomaterials contribute equally to a series of lectures in the fall, winter and spring trimesters of the junior year.

The materials commonly used in general dentistry, fixed and removable prosthodontics are discussed in the context of clinical application, material selection, proper manipulation and biocompatibility. Materials not covered in depth in the preclinical courses are addressed at this time. This course is designed to correlate the preclinical experiences with the clinical application of dental materials and procedures and to reinforce the importance of coordinating all aspects of restorative dentistry for the benefit of the patient.

Implant Dentistry I. This sophomore year course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of osseointegration and the biocompatibility of titanium implants, the procedures involved in the surgical placement of titanium screw implants and the procedures involved in the prosthetic rehabilitation of implant patients. This is primarily a didactic lecture course with two hands-on laboratory sessions, one placing fixtures in bone, and one-performing the initial prosthodontic procedures. This course also includes one small group learning exercise (SGL) in which an edentulous mandible is restored with a bar overdenture using prepared models.

Implant Dentistry II. This junior year didactic course is designed to provide students experience in advanced surgical techniques in the design and placement of implant fixtures. This course also places special emphasis on treatment options available for replacement of missing teeth. Students discuss the advantages/disadvantages of implant restorations versus Fixed and Removable Partial Dentures. Special emphasis is placed on identifying failing implants and post delivery follow-up.

Prosthodontics Clinic. In this junior clinical course, students are introduced to a variety of basic fixed, removable and complete denture prosthodontic experiences, which serve as the foundation for clinical practice. Students fabricate posts and cores and individual crowns, gradually expanding treatment procedures to include construction of various fixed partial dentures. Also, students construct complete and removable partial dentures by performing several steps such as: diagnosis, survey and designing classes of removable partial dentures, teeth, and insertion of the prostheses. In addition, treatment procedures related to immediate dentures, transitional removable partial dentures and repairing prostheses are performed. Students must pass a tissue conditioning competency, too.

Year Four
General Dentistry Clinic II. This course focuses on advanced clinical restorative procedures. The students’ treatments are primarily involved in the fabrication of complex gold restorations, cosmetic restorations and amalgam restorations. Students demonstrate skill attainment by passing competency examinations. Furthermore, students have clinical activity in dental auxiliary utilization. Evaluation is based upon a compilation of all components in this course.

Fixed Prosthodontics Clinic. In this senior course, students progress to more difficult procedures for the fixed partial denture tooth replacement. They are expected to increase both qualitatively and quantitatively their clinical activities in fixed prosthodontics to prepare for the variety of experiences that will be found in clinical practice. Students must pass a mock board examination which simulates State Board exams. Students must also pass a competency exam in Fixed Partial Dentures.

Removable Prosthodontics Clinic. In this senior course, students increase their Removable Prosthodontics activity by becoming involved in more complex complete and removable partial denture cases, including overdentures and immediate/transitional dentures. Attachments are also encourage in overdenture therapy. Students must pass a competency exam in Fixed Partial Dentures.

Removable Prosthodontics Clinic. In this senior course, students increase their Removable Prosthodontics activity by becoming involved in more complex complete and removable partial denture cases, including overdentures and immediate/transitional dentures. Attachments are also encouraged in overdenture therapy. Students must pass competency exams in both Complete and Removable Partial Dentures. Students are expected to complete their work with less faculty input and in less time.

Restorative Dentistry. This senior year course provides the student with an understanding of advanced methods of treating patients with the need for Fixed Partial dentures, Operative or Removable prostheses. Presentations use slides depicting treatment of actual cases. A second goal of the course is to prepare the student for the Northeast Regional Board Examination.

Implant Dentistry III. This is a junior/senior clinical program in which students are assigned a patient requiring an implant restoration. The student must participate in all phases of treatment to include diagnosis, treatment programming, radiologic/surgical stents, fixture placement and restoration. The course is primarily designed to be able to offer patients an implant retained mandibular denture with two fixtures. Students can also be assigned single unit posterior implant crowns. The restoration of a minimum of two implants is a clinical requirement for all students.

The Department also offers a Certificate program in Postdoctoral Prosthodontics

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