cosmetic dentistry_ beauty & science

16 I I feature _ interview and dentine absolutely not wear resistant; yet, together (bonded) they can make a tooth that can withstand stress and function for a lifetime. How do you explain that? That is synergy! What I call the “dental trinity” (enamel, dentine and dentino-enamel junction) should be the model and we can realistically approach this model to- day with the structured use of porcelain/ceram- ics, composite resin, and enamel and dentine bonding agents. Adhesive dentistry is the cor- nerstone of this process. Even endodontically treated teeth can benefit from this approach because the remaining enamel and dentine can be preserved. Adhesive dentistry today is capable of pro- ducing continuity between the ceramic/polymer and the tooth, and above all allows us to save a great deal of intact tooth structure (adhesion replacing retention and resistance form). It would be foolish to ignore bonding techniques today and remove precious enamel and dentine instead. In summary, it is not about aesthetics but about tooth-conserving dentistry. I believe biomimetic research will allow us to develop better solutions for tooth replacement. Currently, dental implants are not biomimetic per se because of the lack of periodontal liga- ment, extreme stiffness, etc. (they are only indi- rectly biomimetic because they do not require the neighbouring teeth to be altered). We are looking at ways to make them more biomimetic through the use of materials that are more com- pliant2 and even adhesive techniques—bonding to implant abutments can be very useful.3 _What is your view of the role of CAD/CAM techniques in modern aesthetic restorative dentistry? Is this the future or just a temporary trend? It is a growing trend, and it will grow not only as a restorative tool but also as a diagnostic tool through the inclusion of various modules, such as wear/erosion monitoring, caries de- tection, etc. I strongly believe in CAD/CAM but only as a tool, not a philosophy of work. That means that the operator still needs to have his or her own core values, treatment planning strategies, etc. that are totally independent of the tools that are used to reach the treatment objective. _Youhavelecturedallovertheworld.Whatdo you think dental education today should entail? What should its main objective be? I believe that an effective educator should be imbued with passion and knowledge, and must infect others with this passion and knowledge. His or her teaching must be based not only on science, but also on common sense and ex- perience. The educator must not hide anything, especially not his or her failures. When listening to such a teacher, dentists taking the course should feel empowered with new abilities to provide their patients with durable treatments that are better adapted and more conservative. Ideally, this kind of teacher should be a model in his or her personal life too. This is the differ- ence between just having success and being a successful human being. I am not saying that I am a successful human being but I strive to be. Albert Einstein once said, “I want to know God’s thoughts; the rest are details.” The main objective of dental education should be to establish very strong core values; values that will not age, that will be timeless. We know that ten years from now, most of the materials and tools that we use today will have been supplanted by new ones. So I always ask my colleagues, “What is it that you would like to be remembered for when you retire?”. This question usually calls for a deep reflection about one’s values. Deep respect for God’s creation, including teeth, and trying to emulate it—this is the kind of value that I want to pursue. _Thank you very much for the interview; it was very inspiring. Editorialnote:Acompletelistofreferencesisavailable from the publisher. Fig. 2_Partial bonded restorations teeth 13 to 23 (porcelain by Michel Magne, Oral Design Beverly Hills, on teeth 12-22) in black and white. (Image courtesy of European Journal of Esthetic Dentistry) cosmeticdentistry 4_2013