Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

 Indirect Operative Dentistry and Anterior Adhesive Prostheses Techniques

 Indirect Operative Dentistry and Anterior Adhesive Prostheses Techniques
3
16534
1
First semester
OB
Main language of instruction: Catalan

Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish

Teaching staff


Dra. FENOY ILLACER, María del Pilar - pilarfenoy@uic.es

Office hours:  Tuesdays, 16:00 to 19:00 (In-person)  Email: pilarfenoy@uic.es

Introduction

The subject Techniques of Indirect Operation and Anterior Adhesive Prosthetics comprehensively addresses the diagnosis, planning and clinical execution of indirect and ceramic restorations to the anterior sector. In modern dentistry, the conservation of dental structure and aesthetic demands require mastering the minimally invasive procedures supported by high-predictability principles of adhesion. During the course, students will delve into the management of ceramic facets, as well as the analog and digital techniques of dental preparation, impression making, provisionalization and adhesive cementation protocols. The combination of applied theory and practical workshops at the L7 laboratory will allow the student to acquire the manual skills and clinical criteria necessary to face complex cases in daily clinical practice.

Pre-course requirements

2.1. Mandatory requirements Academic qualification:  . Possession of a Degree or Licentiate degree in Dentistry (or an equivalent foreign degree that has been officially recognized/validated).  . Prior basic training: Mastery of the theoretical and practical fundamentals of operative dentistry, cariology, dental materials, and occlusion, acquired during the undergraduate degree program. 2.2. Recommended prior knowledge and competencies  To ensure students derive full benefit from the theory-practice sessions in the L7 laboratory, it is highly recommended that they possess:  1. Absolute isolation of the operating field: Fluent command of rubber dam isolation techniques for both anterior and posterior regions.  2. Handling of rotary instruments and magnification equipment: Proficiency in the use of high-speed handpieces (turbines), contra-angles, and micromotors; Use of clinical magnification loupes is explicitly recommended for precision tooth preparation and finishing.  3. Basic dental photography: Basic knowledge of intraoral photography for aesthetic analysis, case documentation, and communication with the dental laboratory.  4. Fundamentals of biomechanics and adhesion: Prior understanding of current adhesive systems (total-etch and self-etch) and adhesion to enamel and dentin.  5. Scientific English: Ability to read and comprehend up-to-date scientific literature in English (high-impact articles in restorative and aesthetic dentistry).

Objectives

1. Understand the biomechanical and aesthetic principles involved in planning indirect restorations in the anterior region. 2. Master minimally invasive cavity preparation techniques tailored to various ceramic materials and composite resins.  3. Integrate digital and analog workflows for data acquisition, design, and fabrication of ceramic veneers.  4. Acquire the judgment and systematic approach required for adhesive cementation, recognizing the necessary surface treatments based on the dental substrate and the restoration.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • CB10 - Students should acquire the learning skills that allow them to continue to study.
  • CB6 - Students should have and understand knowledge that provides the basis for or opportunity to be original in terms of the development and application of ideas, often within a research context.
  • CB9 - Students should know how to express their conclusions, and the knowledge and reasoning these are based on, to specialised and non-specialised audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.
  • CE1 - Students should be able to undertake a proper analysis and an extraoral diagnosis, and underline the aesthetic and functional aspects of the teeth and the soft areas of the lower part of the face as well as a analysis and clinical and lab-based diagnosis, using diagnostic and therapeutic wax models, in order to rehabilitate dental occlusion with good functional and aesthetic balance, while taking into account multidisciplinary factors related to the masticating apparatus.
  • CE10 - Students should acquire the ability to apply scientific methods, and apply the knowledge acquired to resolving problems in a scientific field. They should learn how to develop research projects both in vitro and in vivo, within the fields of mechanics, biology and microbiology applied to prosthetic and restorative dentistry and dental implants.
  • CE12 - Students should update their knowledge of molecular biology, biochemistry and microbiology so they can apply it.
  • CE4 - To acquire the ability to make oral preparations on mucosa, teeth, and dental implants, to build dental prostheses in patients with advanced oral and multidisciplinary disorders; as well as identify and undertake the procedures and various checks for the prosthetic components during construction.
  • CE5 - To be able to give public presentations on your own clinical cases based on the scientific literature, and correctly use the scientific terminology related to temporomandibular dysfunction and aesthetic restorative dentistry.
  • CE7 - To be able to search for, organise and analyse, from a critical point of view, and using biomedical sources of information, scientific literature on issues related to temporomandibular dysfunction and aesthetic restorative dentistry, in order to pursue continuing education in a self-directed and autonomous way.
  • CE8 - To know how to apply epistemological, ethical, legislational and humanitarian factors to research and the disclosure of scientific data in the field of aesthetic restorative dentistry.
  • CG4 - To know how to apply protocols for the use of the equipment in the dental laboratory-workshop to the point of undertaking the necessary procedures that help in oral rehabilitation or the treatments common to a restorative dentist.

Learning outcomes of the subject

  • - New Technologies in Aesthetic Restorative Dentistry - Students are constantly updated in the field of new technologies and professional materials in order to become restorative dentists in continuous training. - Students learn to prepare teeth in order to perform complex treatments in direct and indirect surgery. - Students learn to perform the most complex treatments in direct and indirect dental surgery. - Students maintain contacts with industry and commercial firms in order to communicate their needs as an expert professional in the advanced and multidisciplinary field of aesthetic restorative dentistry. They also work with them to initiate new research or technologies.
  • - Laboratory Techniques for Oral Rehabilitation - - Formulates appropriate research questions. - The student understands the fundamental concepts of removable prostheses. - The student prepares a treatment plan for removable prostheses. - The student makes partial and total removable prostheses with different materials. - The student understands the fundamentals of temporomandibular disorders. - The student interprets diagnostic tests for temporomandibular joint disorders. - The student knows and understands the updated treatments for temporomandibular disorders. - The student makes appliances for the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders. - The student understands and executes the principles of dental tissue preparation for direct and indirect operative treatments. - The student understands and executes the principles of dental tissue preparation for adhesive and non-adhesive fixed prosthesis treatments. - The student understands the fundamentals of adhesive and non-adhesive fixed prostheses. - The student makes provisional and definitive fixed prostheses.

Syllabus

English: Laboratory Practical Program (L7)

  1. Practical Session 1: Impression taking and fabrication of silicone indices for diagnostic mock-ups on study models.

  2. Practical Session 2: Execution of direct mock-ups using bis-acrylic resin and aesthetic diagnosis evaluation.

  3. Practical Session 3: Calibrated cavity preparation through mock-ups for anterior veneers (depth orientation and margin design).

  4. Practical Session 4: Fabrication, relining, and fine polishing of provisional restorations.

  5. Practical Session 5: Surface conditioning protocols (ceramic and tooth substrates) and adhesive luting of veneers.

  6. Practical Session 6: Final practical assessment of cavity preparation and adhesive luting.

Teaching and learning activities

In person



The course adopts an intensely practical and integrative approach based on scientific evidence (learning by doing). Learning is structured around a weekly three-hour in-person session (Tuesdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM in Laboratory L7), divided into two complementary learning blocks: theoretical foundation and practical application through clinical simulation.

Theoretical Session and Scientific Discussion (1 Hour Weekly)

The first hour of each session is dedicated to establishing conceptual foundations and critically analyzing current academic literature. The professor delivers lecture-style presentations covering diagnosis, biomechanical principles, and step-by-step clinical protocols. Concurrently, students take on an active role through group presentations and discussions of selected scientific articles and mandatory readings focused on the state of the art in ceramic and resin veneers. Through this seminar format, students develop the clinical judgment necessary to base their therapeutic decisions on current scientific evidence.

Practical Workshops and Hands-on Training in Laboratory L7 (2 Hours Weekly)

The remaining two hours take place entirely in Laboratory L7 as an individualized, supervised practical workshop. In this space, students sequentially execute the full clinical workflow for veneer treatment:

  • Diagnostic Phase and Mock-up: Fabrication of silicone indices from diagnostic wax-ups and direct aesthetic transfer onto the model using bis-acrylic resins.

  • Cavity Preparation Phase: Execution of minimally invasive preparations guided and calibrated directly through the mock-up, ensuring maximum preservation of enamel and precise margin finishing.

  • Provisionalization Phase: Fabrication, adaptation, relining, and polishing of provisional restorations.

  • Adhesive Protocol and Luting Phase: Execution of surface treatment protocols on both the restoration (acid etching, silanization) and the tooth structure, concluding with seating and light-curing using resin cements.

Autonomous Student Work

Complementing the scheduled contact hours, students are expected to engage in independent study outside the classroom. This includes reviewing theoretical concepts, searching scientific literature, preparing group presentations, and conducting preliminary reviews of the scheduled laboratory protocols for each week.

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person



ASSESSMENT AND GRADING CRITERIA

Assessment for Indirect Operative Techniques and Anterior Adhesive Prosthetics follows a continuous evaluation and final exam model, conducted 100% in person.

Attendance and Punctuality Policy

Due to the hands-on and integrative nature of the practical sessions in Laboratory L7 and lectures:

  • Mandatory Attendance: 100% attendance is required for all scheduled in-person sessions.

  • Attendance Tracking: Attendance will be recorded at the beginning of each session (Tuesdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM).

  • Absence Penalties:

    • Unexcused absences will negatively affect the final course grade.

    • Automatic Failure Threshold: Accumulating more than two (2) unexcused absences will result in an automatic fail grade for the course in the regular examination call. The student will be required to take the extraordinary examination call in accordance with Faculty regulations.

Regular Assessment Components

The final grade for the term will be calculated using the following weight distribution:

ComponentDescriptionWeight
Final Theoretical Exam Written assessment at the end of the term covering theoretical concepts and clinical case analysis. Evaluates conceptual understanding and treatment planning. 40%
Final Practical Exam Individual practical evaluation in Laboratory L7 at the end of the term. Students must perform a cavity preparation, provisionalization, or adhesive luting protocol on a typodont model. 40%
Continuous Assessment & Conduct Attendance, punctuality, active participation, daily technical skill demonstrated in Laboratory L7, and adherence to safety and hygiene guidelines. 20%
 
Print version