London 2015 - "Confronting the Grey Areas"

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The Grey Areas:

Loss of Amalgam to the UK - 'Phase down' of amalgam: A Society Debate on the Implications of the Minamata Convention on mercury to Dental Amalgam - Should we and our patients be worried? Is the UK dentistry ready for the planned phase-down and eventual 'banning' of dental amalgam? Are the bsspd concerned about this and are there still some clinical circumstances where dental amalgam is likely to perform better than the alternatives. The society will debate both sides of the argument which in turn will allow us to produce and publish a position paper. Phil Taylor, from Barts Health Trusts and QMUL, will outline the case for continuing use of amalgam and Trevor Burke, from University of Birmingham, will argue the alternatives. Conference delegates will be encouraged to contribute to the debate and vote on management strategies for different clinical circumstances.

Ceramics, CAD CAM technology & digital clinical scanning - Is CAD/CAM Technology and all-ceramic restorations the answer to all of our problems? Are people 'stuck-in-the-past' who still use conventional indirect intra and extra coronal restorations, with traditional impression techniques? The society is delighted that Daniel Edelhoff from Munich, Germany has agreed to share his views and experiences on this important subject. His Dental Institute and students have the choice of several systems. He is a world renowned expert on digital CAD CAM technology and associated tooth preparation. He will also demonstrate the use of this technology for the minimal restoration of patients with tooth wear.

Implants and Periodontal patients - When are periodontal patients ready for dental implants? With increased of evidence highlighting the growing problem of peri-implantitis now seems a good time to clarify the timings and needs of patients who want teeth, that are lost because of periodontitis - replaced with dental implants. Dominic O'Sullivan from Bristol University will provide conference with his views on this controversial subject area with delegates able to take away sensible and practical advice.

Cracked Teeth - What is best treatment option for vital and non-vital cracked / fractured teeth? Most accept that cracked and fractured teeth are becoming more and more common. There are many approaches recommended for this problem. Richard Porter will discuss these issues from a clinical viewpoint and offer advice for conference delegates on what is the best way forward to manage this difficult clinical problem.

Occlusion in 2015 - What has changed with occlusion over the last 20 years? Who better to talk about this topic than the renowned private Prosthodontic practitioner and postgraduate teacher Professor Paul Tipton. Paul has been asked to "tease out" the Grey areas of Occlusion and explain his approach to this controversial subject. It is the first time Paul has spoken for bsspd - so not to be missed.

Dento-Legal challenges for prosthodontics - The UK is now the riskiest country in the world in which to practice prosthodontic dentistry. Kevin Lewis, Director of Dental Protection Limited, has kindly agreed to address our 2015 conference on this important and difficult subject. He will explain the reasons for the increased risk to both NHS and private practitioners and suggest strategies to control this risk. He will look into the future and explain how the defence agencies are planning to cope with this trend in the future.

Adhesive or Conventional Dentistry for the restoration of broken down or worn teeth - which is best and why? Ken Hemmings, a well-known Consultant and Specialist practitioner will present his personal views on the options of direct / indirect adhesive dentistry or conventional restorative techniques when restoring broken down and worn teeth. Ken has published widely in this area and will outline the factors that he looks for when considering both options. The presentation will be practical and informative with take home advice for clinicians of all levels of experience.

The Grey Areas of 3D Scanning and Dento-Facial Imaging in Prosthodontics - Who better than Jimmy Makdissi to take us through this dilemma. How often and for what cases should we be using 3D scanning in 2015? How do we best balance the risk to the patient of using CBCTs in Prosthodontics? Are we at risk of hiding behind technology? Where are the clear indications and benefits compared to conventional imaging techniques?

Managing Complex Prosthodontic Problems and Failure - some clinical tips - Shakeel Shahdad, a well know Consultant at BHT and private practitioner will discuss his approach to managing complex failing / failed conventional and implant prosthodontic cases. We all understand that the need to be able to manage these problems will grow as the current middle aged population grows older. We look forward to hearing sensible advice about this problem from an expert such as Shakeel who balances his time between the hospital and general practice environment.