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Comment “plane” and I’ll DM you a link to register for the free Veneer Treatment Planning Masterclass with Dr. Amanda Seay and Dr. Adamo Notarantonio.

The facial surface is convex. If your bur is held at one continuous angulation, reduction will not follow the cervical, middle and incisal contours, risking insufficient ceramic space in some areas and unnecessary enamel removal in others.

Two planes may be enough for many cases. A third provides finer control when the facial contour is more pronounced or the planned reduction is minimal.

The goal is not to follow a universal number of planes. It is to follow the planned facial contour, create appropriate ceramic space and preserve as much enamel as possible.

Amanda Seay X Dr Adamo X CourseKarma.com 👉 Helping you Find the Best Dental CE

A 0.3 mm depth cut does not guarantee a conservative prep.

If the mock-up is very thin cervically, the bur may pass through it, remove the remaining cervical enamel and expose dentin.

Before making the depth cut, assess the thickness of the mock-up in this area. When it is insufficient, add a small amount of flowable composite cervically to thicken the design, then confirm that the resulting contour remains aesthetically acceptable.

The depth cut can then be made through the modified mock-up, creating the required restorative space while preserving cervical enamel.

Hungry for more tips?

👉 Watch the Free Veneer Treatment Planning Masterclass with Dr. Amanda Seay and Dr. Adamo Notorantonio. Link in CourseKarma.com 👉 Helping you Find the Best Dental CE bio.

Available for a limited time.

Amanda Seay X Dr Adamo X CourseKarma.com 👉 Helping you Find the Best Dental CE

Black triangles are not just about adding more porcelain.

One of the biggest factors is the distance from the interproximal bone crest to the apical end of your planned contact area.

Tarnow’s classic study found:

≤5 mm → papilla present almost 100% of the time
6 mm → about 56%
≥7 mm → 27% or less

Before designing your veneers, sound to bone, locate the interproximal crest, and plan your contact accordingly.

Small measurement. Big difference in the final result.

Comment “class” and we’ll send you a video from Dr. Amanda Seay and Dr. Adamo Notarantonio on black triangle closure and veneer treatment planning.

This one has been a long time in the making, and we’re incredibly proud to finally share it.

For the first time, Dr. Amanda Seay and Dr. Adamo Notarantonio are bringing their imP.R.E.S. Blueprint online as part of a one-year aesthetic dentistry mentorship.

A program built around learning, implementation, case guidance, and continued refinement.

And not only that, they are providing Veneer Treatment Planning Masterclass for FREE for the Course Karma community.

Applications are now open to a small group of clinicians.

Comment “MENTOR” and you’ll receive:

1- Mentorship Program application Form
2- Veneer Treatment Planning Masterclass

Most people know us through the dentistry, the cases, the lectures and what we have built through IMPRES. But neither of us began with a clear plan to end up here.

One of us thought life would be dance. The other thought it would be soccer. Life redirected us both, and somewhere between the family liquor store, the back of a garbage truck, dental school and countless imperfect first cases, our paths eventually crossed.

Looking back, the people who believed in us, and allowed us to learn beside them, shaped far more than our dentistry. They shaped the educators we later became.

We have spent years trying to carry that forward through IMPRES. Now, together with Course Karma, we are preparing for a new chapter built around the very thing that changed ours: mentorship.

More soon.

Detector dyes can be incredibly helpful, but only if we understand what they’re actually telling us.

Modern cariology recognizes that detector dyes may stain both infected and affected dentin because they are not specific for bacteria or infected dentin.

While infected dentin is generally removed, affected dentin is partially demineralized and may retain much of its collagen scaffold. Its altered, less mineralized matrix may also retain dye and, in deep vital lesions, may be intentionally preserved during selective caries removal.

This is why detector dyes are considered adjunctive visual aids, not excavation endpoints.

The final decision should integrate tactile assessment, lesion depth, pulpal proximity, and the ability to achieve a durable peripheral seal, not stain colour alone.

References:

McComb, D. “Caries-detector dyes—how accurate and useful are they?.” Journal (Canadian Dental Association) vol. 66,4 (2000): 195-8.

Dhar V, Pilcher L, Fontana M. Evidence-based clinical practice guideline on restorative treatments for caries lesions. The Journal of the American Dental Association, 154, 551-566.e51

Schwendicke, Falk et al. “Deep caries management: EFCD-ESE-ORCA S3-level clinical practice guideline.” Clinical oral investigations vol. 30,5 186. 22 Apr. 2026, doi:10.1007/s00784-025-06727-1

Most dentists use caries detector dyes. But do you know how they actually work?

Despite their name, caries detector dyes do not directly detect bacteria. Their mechanism is based on changes that occur within dentin as the caries process progresses.

As dentin loses mineral content, the collagen matrix becomes increasingly exposed and altered. This creates a more porous and permeable substrate, allowing the dye, carried in a glycol-based solvent, to pe*****te and become retained within the dentin.

This concept originated from Dr. Takao Fusayama’s search for a more objective excavation endpoint after being asked a simple question:

“How hard is hard?”

Although formulations have evolved over time, their intended role has remained the same: to serve as an adjunctive aid during caries excavation, not a replacement for visual assessment, tactile findings, and clinical judgment.

In Part 2, we’ll answer the question every restorative dentist has asked at some point:
Should every stained area be removed?

References:

Fusayama, T. “Two layers of carious dentin; diagnosis and treatment.” Operative dentistryvol. 4,2 (1979): 63-70.

Yip, H K et al. “The specificity of caries detector dyes in cavity preparation.” British dental journal vol. 176,11 (1994): 417-21. doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.4808470

McComb, D. “Caries-detector dyes—how accurate and useful are they?.” Journal (Canadian Dental Association) vol. 66,4 (2000): 195-8.

Schwendicke, F et al. “Managing Carious Lesions: Consensus Recommendations on Carious Tissue Removal.” Advances in dental research vol. 28,2 (2016): 58-67. doi:10.1177/0022034516639271

Boston, Daniel W et al. “The Relative Location of the Dye Staining Endpoint Indicated With Polypropylene Glycol-Based Caries Dye versus Conventional Propylene Glycol-Based Caries Dye.” European journal of dentistry vol. 2,1 (2008): 29-36.

Iglesias-Poveda, Ana et al. “Comparative evaluation of caries detector dyes and laser fluorescence systems for intraoperative diagnosis during selective caries removal: a scoping review.” Frontiers in dental medicine vol. 6 1600500. 16 Jul. 2025, doi:10.3389/fdmed.2025.1600500

Over-drying etched dentin is one of the classic reasons etch-and-rinse dentin bonding is technique sensitive.

After phosphoric acid etching, the superficial dentin layer is demineralized, leaving an exposed collagen scaffold that must remain expanded for optimal resin infiltration. Excessive desiccation can cause collagen collapse, reduced resin infiltration, and a compromised hybrid layer.

A few important considerations:
- This concern is most relevant when dentin has been phosphoric-acid etched, as with etch-and-rinse adhesives or universal adhesives used in etch-and-rinse mode.
- Self-etch adhesives, or universal adhesives used with selective enamel etching, are generally less moisture-sensitive in this specific way because dentin is not separately etched with phosphoric acid.
- The goal is visibly moist dentin, not puddled water and not desiccated dentin.
- Postoperative sensitivity is multifactorial, but inadequate dentin sealing remains one possible contributor.

👉 Clinical tip: if etched dentin looks chalky, matte, or frosty white, it may be drier than you think.

References:

Popescu M, Malița M, Vorovenci A, Ștețiu AA, Perieanu VȘ, Costea RC, David M, Costea RM, Ștețiu MA, Drăguș AC, et al. Wet vs. Dry Dentin Bonding: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Adhesive Performance and Hybrid Layer Integrity. Oral. 2025; 5(3):63.

Kwon J, Kim J, Choi D, Kim DS. The Influence of Drying Time, Application Mode, and Agitation on the Dentin Bond Strength of a Novel Mesoporous Bioactive Glass-Containing Universal Dentin Adhesive. J Funct Biomater. 2025 Jul 5;16(7):247.

Bourgi R, Kharouf N, Cuevas-Suárez CE, Lukomska-Szymanska M, Haikel Y, Hardan L. A Literature Review of Adhesive Systems in Dentistry: Key Components and Their Clinical Applications. Applied Sciences. 2024; 14(18):8111.

A palatally impacted upper third molar completely changes your flap design.

A routine buccal flap with a vertical release can leave you fighting poor visibility and difficult access from the beginning.

In these cases, a palatal approach gives broader reflection and significantly better exposure around the impaction.

But as you extend posteriorly, anatomy becomes critical.

The greater palatine artery and nerve can quickly turn this into difficult bleeding if violated, which is why the approach should stay conservative at first: Start small. Elevate gradually. Work from known to unknown.

Want to be mentored on third molar extraction cases?
Our 10-week Third Molar Mentorship Program starts next Saturday.

Apply what you learn in clinic with mentorship and accountability from two oral & maxillofacial surgeons. A program that pays for itself.

Starts Satarday!

Link in bio.

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Bloopers at the end...

This is based on a lecture I gave at the Course Karma Summit that got a surprisingly strong response.

It’s the inspiration behind MAP: Mentorship and Accountability Program.

The idea is simple:

Stop trying to change everything at once.

Focus on the week ahead of you.

Learn something.
Apply something.
Build momentum.

That’s how you actually get better.

Not by collecting more information, but by turning what you already know into action.

That’s what MAP is built for.