Olin Loomis Lecture: When "ideal" is Elusive: Overcoming Challenges and Managing Competing Demands in Prosthetic Treatment Planning

Prosthetic treatment planning starts with understanding the basic principles of restorative space, teeth-in-space, and prosthetic contours. Often, major errors in treatment planning and restoration can be avoided by simply following these principles. Many times, however, these dictates are in opposition to each other, represent competing treatment demands and preclude an easy, “ideal” solution. In these instances, difficult decisions and compromises must frequently be made. This presentation reviews these principles and conflicts and provides a framework for decision making.

Learning objectives:

1. Understand how the principles governing restorative space, teeth-in space and prosthetic contours aid in prosthetic treatment planning and execution
2. Recognize when the above principles come into conflict with one another
3. Develop a framework for making treatment decisions in the face of competing principles and in the absence of an "ideal" solution.