Fixed Restorations. Irena Sailer

      Quintessenz Verlags-GmbH Quintessence Publishing Co Ltd

      Ifenpfad 2–4 Grafton Road, New Malden

      12107 Berlin Surrey KT3 3AB

      Germany United Kingdom

      www.quintessence-publishing.com www.quintessence-publishing.com

      Copyright © 2021

       Quintessenz Verlags-GmbH

      All rights reserved. This book or any Part thereof may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher.

      Editing: Anya Hastwell, Elizabeth Ducker, Quintessence Publishing Co Ltd, London, UK

      Layout and Production: Ina Steinbrück Quintessenz Verlags-GmbH, Berlin, Germany

      Dedication

      “To our families and mentors who inspired us”

       Irena, Vincent, and Bjarni

Forewords

      I must admit that the request from Irena Sailer, Vincent Fehmer, and Bjarni Pjetursson to write a foreword for their new book entitled “Fixed Restorations” surprised me. My first thought was: Do we need a book about fixed restorations in this day and age?

      On second thoughts, I rapidly changed my mind. They are right. It is necessary and even urgent to publish such a book at this juncture. In many discussions with colleagues, I have noticed how little we know about the incredible product developments in fixed restorations in recent years, and the controversies surrounding the issue. Many protocols and elements have changed in this area of dentistry. It seems essential that the dental community have an overview and guidelines of the current state of the art. A multitude of different materials is available in fixed restorations. Also, the manufacturing techniques for fixed restorations have made fundamental developmental changes, which need to be fully understood.

      The practicing clinician should also have a strong foundational knowledge of all the various materials and manufacturing techniques in fixed restorations. But, hand on heart, is this requirement possible? Only during their formal education years do clinicians learn the ability to obtain profound knowledge of the composition and availability of the different materials in fixed restorations; their advantages and disadvantages; their various fields of application; and the various manufacturing techniques. The combined elements of official tutoring, available literature, communication, and controlled hands-on experience allow the clinician to formulate opinions about the gold standards of restorative treatment. Considering the last decades of dentistry, it is apparent that a clinician will never be in the position of always being up to date in the fields of new materials and new manufacturing techniques of fixed restorations. During a clinician’s entire professional life, development of these new techniques and materials is too rapid and intensive to remain fully informed.

      Therefore, nowadays, more than ever, the clinician must build a team with his or her laboratory technician. The laboratory technician is the individual who works with dental components daily, gaining a deep understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of different materials. Laboratory technicians hold casts in their hand or look at models on the screen daily; they see the chipping, the fractures, and the problems of the different materials used for fixed restorations as they are utilized and produced. They can formulate opinions on suitability and functionality better than anyone else. The wise and ethically motivated dental clinician and researcher needs to lend an ear to the incredible experience and understanding of laboratory technicians.

      Irena Sailer, Vincent Fehmer, and Bjarni Pjetursson choose this innovative approach in their book by selecting authors with different backgrounds. Irena Sailer and Bjarni Pjetursson are both incredible clinicians and researchers. Still, they knew and understood that for such a book project to succeed an exceptional laboratory technician’s contribution and input would be required. They found it in Vincent Fehmer. They together have the complete knowledge and experience to create such a mammoth undertaking. I can see with my own eyes what thorough and intense discussion they must have had during the writing of this book. They knew that one of them would never be able to finish such a project. The only way to succeed was to form a team with three exceptional characters.

      In the fall of 2019, I had the pleasure to be invited to the wedding of Irena and Vincent. Bjarni was the chosen best man. At the fantastic evening party, all attendees could feel the unique energy between the three of them. They have more than just friendship. There is energy, emotion, and pleasure between them. These characteristics are necessary to build an incredible team to create a unique project like this book.

      Dear lovely readers, you now have this book in your hands. I am convinced that you will feel the energy and the enthusiasm of the team behind it while reading. The sparks of fixed restoration will also fly in your mind.