title: Prosthodontic and restorative care in the 21st century.
abstract: In a recent report on oral health, Surgeon General Satcher reminded us of the need to change the attitudes of families concerning the importance of oral health. In prosthodontics and restorative dentistry, remarkable developments are occurring daily. Specialties are changing, and different types of dental practices are emerging. The introduction of computer technology has greatly affected the way the restorative dentist practices, and the evolution of cyberschools are no longer a fantasy. Adhesive dentistry has replaced the manner in which we prepare, restore, and bond restorations to teeth. The entire field of ceramics and methods of fabricating esthetic restorations are entering a new era. The exceptional prognosis of various implant systems has changed the way we think about maintaining hopeless teeth. Through tissue engineering, the 21st century may be revolutionary in the way we replace missing teeth and lost tooth structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Colorado School of Dentistry, Denver, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Landesman
mesh_terms: D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D001840:Dental Bonding / Q000639:trends; D003738:Dental Cements; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D015921:Dental Implants; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000639:trends*; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000639:trends; D020375:Education, Distance; D006801:Humans; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011476:Prosthodontics / Q000639:trends*; D013674:Technology, Dental / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D003738:Dental Cements; D015921:Dental Implants; D003776:Dental Porcelain