Operative Techniques

At the end of this course, students should be able to: 1. list and discuss the different causes of tooth loss; 2. explain tooth restorations; 3. describe the properties and manipulation of materials vis a vis the lost structure; and 4. contrast between amalgam and composite including amalgam phase-down.

Introduction and familiarisation with materials, basic procedures and concepts in conservative dentistry. Principles of tooth preparation and minimum intervention dentistry, including fundamentals of tooth preparation, pulp protection, enamel and dentin adhesion. Designing cavities for various restorations, materials and techniques in restorative dentistry. Principles of cavity preparation, moisture control, restoration of the cavity with missing walls, and complex cavities. Retentive aids for plastic restorations, amalgam restorations, composite restorations, intra-coronal cast metal restorations.