Whether you “believe in it” or not, minimally invasive dentistry is now the center of research and development in all areas of modern oral healthcare, with dental adhesion and resin bonding as the biggest game changers in restorative dentistry. This new age of adhesive dentistry is limiting the need for retentive and invasive tooth preparations while providing highly esthetic and long-term functional restorations.
Besides direct restorations with composites and other materials, some modern treatment options—such as laminate veneers, tooth-colored inlays/onlays, silicate ceramic crowns, and resin-bonded fixed-partial dentures—would not even be possible without proper resin bonding. Today, we bond orthodontic brackets to teeth, endodontic posts into root canals, crowns to implant abutments, composite and ceramic veneering materials to metal and ceramic frameworks, and so on. Even our crown preparations have become significantly less invasive through adhesive cementation of advanced ceramic materials.
Fact is, our patients are getting older and keeping their natural teeth longer. We owe it to them to preserve tooth structure and prevent the need for full-coverage restorations and prosthetic tooth replacement as much as possible.
As members of an academic institution, it is our responsibility to understand and participate in the future of our profession. We were, therefore, delighted when Professor Junji Tagami and the Japanese Adhesive Society asked us to host The 5th International Congress on Adhesive Dentistry (IAD). Close to 600 attendees representing 20 countries joined the congress at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia on June 14-15, 2013, marking the first time the IAD was held in the United States.
The intense 2-day program—preceded by a day of hands-on training courses—featured over 30 of the most eminent leaders and researchers in adhesive dentistry from around the world, sharing their latest, cutting-edge science and state-of-the-art clinics. Day 1 of the scientific program addressed the history, current state, and future of dental adhesion, with day 2 focusing on adhesive restorative materials and treatment options. The program included a scientific corporate forum, where industry leaders discussed their latest innovations and developments. The poster presentations were another clear highlight of the congress. Research abstracts were selected based on their scientific and clinical merit by the Scientific Advisory Board for poster presentation at the IAD, and Scientific Awards were presented to the three most outstanding among them.
This special issue of Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry features the “Proceedings” of the 5th IAD. First, members of the Executive Board summarize the “Current State of Adhesive Dentistry” in a continuing education article, followed by the research abstracts presented at the congress. These abstracts serve as invaluable indicators for current scientific knowledge and research trends, providing a unique opportunity for clinicians and fellow researchers to get a glimpse of the state of the science in adhesive dentistry.
Adhesive dentistry is no longer merely a treatment option; it is an ethical imperative. Like dental implants and CAD/CAM technology, it is here to stay—for the benefit of our patients. On behalf of the IAD Executive committee, our speakers, presenters, sponsors, and attendees, I invite you to open your mind and embrace the significant information presented at the 5th IAD. Enjoy the reading and join us in shaping the future of our beloved profession!
Sincerely,
Markus B. Blatz, DMD, PhD
Chair and Professor of Preventive and Restorative Sciences at Penn Dental Medicine
President of the 5th IAD and Head of the Organizing Committee
