Dr. Robert Winter Presents New ‘Restorative Design’ Pathway

In Spear’s newest pathway, “Restorative Design,” Spear Resident Faculty member Dr. Robert Winter discusses and demonstrates conservative tooth preparations for crowns, veneers, veneerlays, onlays, inlays and the materials and techniques needed for successful outcomes.

Minimally invasive treatments are on the rise, according to a 2018 article in Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry.

“Minimally invasive treatments are a dominant trend in dentistry,” according to the article. “Due to the evolution of adhesive materials and ceramics, minimalistic ceramic restorations have been proposed as alternative treatment options to avoid unnecessary tooth reduction.”

In the six recently released courses that make up the “Restorative Design” pathway, Dr. Winter – one of the world’s most recognized prosthodontics and ceramists – provides the fundamentals of indirect restoration armamentarium, material options and fabrication techniques. He demonstrates various anterior and posterior tooth reduction methods using depth limiting and axial reduction burs, and lists indications for both monolithic and bilayered restorations.

“The courses and lessons in this pathway are based on my experience as a prosthodontist and dental technician, master ceramist and as a dental laboratory owner,” Dr. Winter said. “It’s the core concepts I’ve developed over the last 35 years.”

Learners will see close-up reduction demonstrations for minimal, conventional and extensive preps and discover how to place gingival margin finish lines – all of which influence tooth preparation design decisions.

The “Restorative Design” pathway will leave learners with the ability to:

• Relate the essentials of restorative design
• Relate concepts of outcome-based preparation design
• Describe indications for partial and full-coverage restorations
• Relate restorative material options for anterior and posterior indirect restorations
• Perform preparation techniques for anterior and posterior indirect restorations

The pathway courses include:

• Indirect Restoration Fundamentals
• Outcome-Based Restorative Concepts
• Technique Workshop: Anterior Crowns
• Technique Workshop: Posterior Crowns
• Technique Workshop: Partial Coverage Anterior Veneers
• Technique Workshop: Partial Coverage Posterior Inlays & Onlays

Additional pathway courses are planned for future release dates.

In addition to teaching, Dr. Winter produces Spear Study Club modules and creates a variety of clinical content for the Spear learning ecosystem. He has taught more than 900 didactic, clinical and technical courses in more than 40 countries.

For the past 36 years, Dr. Winter has maintained a private practice limited to prosthodontics, and currently practices in Newport Beach, California. He is co-founder of Esthetics by Design dental laboratory and is past president of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry.

Other Spear online courses featuring Dr. Winter include:

Adjusting and Polishing Zirconia Restorations

Adjusting and Polishing e.max Restorations

The Periodontal-Restorative Interface

Outcome-Based Design Principles for Anterior Partial-Coverage Restorations

Diagnostic Wax-Ups