About Dr. Winter

Dr. Winter graduated in 1981 from Marquette University School of Dentistry, and in 1983 completed his Prosthodontic Specialty Residency in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the VA Medical Center. Since 1983, he has maintained a private practice limited to Prosthodontics, and is co-owner of Esthetics by Design, a commercial laboratory specializing in highly esthetic restorations. Dr. Winter began teaching clinical and technical courses worldwide to dentists and dental technicians in 1984 and has been a principal instructor at Spear in Scottsdale, Arizona, since 2009. He is a Past President of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry where he remains a member and is a member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the American Dental Association. Dr. Winter is a member of the graduate prosthodontics faculty at the University of Washington and the University of Southern California and is on faculty at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine in Phoenix, Arizona.

Having taught more than 1000 didactic, clinical, and technical courses in over 45 countries, Dr. Winter is recognized around the world as a premier clinician, dental technologist, and master ceramist. This unique blending of disciplines and talent continues to keep him in high demand as an educator and speaker. Dr. Winter sits on the advisory board for the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry. He is involved in research and product development pertaining to new dental materials. Dr. Winter has a line of specific preparation design burs developed for Brasseler, USA, and was a co-developer of d.SIGN® dental ceramic for Ivoclar-Vivadent. In 1991, he was the second recipient of the Gordon Christensen Lecturer Recognition Award for Excellence in Restorative Education, and in 2005, Dr. Winter was named Marquette University School of Dentistry Distinguished Alumni of the Year. In 2018, Dr. Winter received the inaugural Distinguished Lecturer Award from the prestigious American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry.

Course Outline

One of the most challenging situations often encountered by dentists is: Can a tooth be predictably restored or should it be removed? Given the high success rate of dental implants reported in the literature, it is not uncommon for questionable teeth that “could” be restored, to instead be removed in favor of implants. It must be remembered though that osseointegration rates are merely one factor that needs to be considered for successful treatment, the esthetic impact of removing teeth must also be considered. This presentation will discuss the factors that must be evaluated to determine when teeth can predictably be saved, as well as the different treatment modalities that may be utilized. To help aid in this treatment planning process, a systematic approach will be followed that comprehensively looks at Esthetic, Functional, Structural, and Biologic issues relevant to the situation.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the key structural areas to evaluate when deciding to save or extract
• The esthetic benefits of maintaining teeth vs. extraction
• Discuss the current treatment modalities that can be utilized to aid in saving teeth