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Preface

Ten years ago, I was invited to give a lecture on how to manage soft tissue from the perspective of the restorative dentist. The request came from a group of dental practitioners who had been working comprehensively in an interdisciplinary manner to provide better care for their patients. However, many times they were frustrated with the definitive treatment outcome in terms of how the restorations blended with the soft tissue. I carefully developed the lecture, and with time it grew into a program, with inspiration from my graduate students, colleagues, and mentors as well as my experience in private practice. It has culminated in this book.

Soft tissue management from the restorative perspective is a topic that is fundamental for success in providing patients with esthetic and functional restorations and for improved patient care. This is where the beautiful artistic work of the dental technician meets with the finish line of the tooth preparation and with the dentogingival complex at the soft tissue–restorative interface. Creating and managing the soft tissue frame is the essence of restorative dentistry, and it is a constant challenge for clinicians, regardless of the type of restoration (tooth borne or implant supported) being provided. In every step of restorative therapy, the soft tissue may be susceptible to trauma that may or may not be reversible and may adversely affect the desired esthetic outcome.

Much has already been written on this topic from both research and clinical perspectives. The vision for this book, however, is to provide clinicians with evidence-based concepts that will guide them as technologies and materials in dentistry continue to evolve. The goal is to demystify clinical restorative procedures and help restorative dentists ensure better control of the soft tissue frame (also known as the pink esthetics) during all clinical steps of restorative therapy while enhancing a healthy and esthetic treatment outcome. Therefore, the book offers a simplified approach for soft tissue management during restorative therapy and practical tools that restorative dentists may apply in their daily practice.

Writing this book provided me with a great opportunity to learn more and augment my knowledge and clinical skills. I can only hope that this book similarly provides restorative dentists with practical, tangible, and valuable tools based on sound scientific concepts that will help them in their everyday practice.

Acknowledgments

First, I would like to thank all the contributors to this book as well as all the faculty members at the University of Washington, especially Deans Martha J. Somerman, Timothy A. DeRouen, and Joel H. Berg. In addition, this book would not be possible without the inspiration and collaboration of my graduate students in the Graduate Prosthodontics program. I am also in debt to all the clinicians and dental technicians (including Kimiyo Sawyer and her team from Cusp Dental Laboratory) whose excellent work is depicted in the cases presented in this book (see page x).

Carole Green and Jeff Meadows from the Graduate Prosthodontics clinic and my office manager, Paige Moody, have offered me significant support and assistance, for which I am grateful. Many thanks as well to Heather Bright from the Seattle Study Club and Michelle Butcher from the Graduate Prosthodontics program.

I am also grateful for the education I received at the Hebrew University School of Dental Medicine in Jerusalem, Israel, and at Louisiana State University School of Dentistry.

My deepest appreciation and gratitude go to my program director, Israel M. Finger, and my master research mentor, Shawky E. Mohamed, for their wisdom and guidance. Finally, I must express my eternal gratitude to Gerard J. Chiche, who continues to inspire me as an excellent teacher, superior clinician, and a genuine human being, and Michael Cohen, who has inspired me to write this book and continues to be a mentor, a friend, and a family.