BeloGrad Academy

This post is simply here to make your eyes happy

A collection of clinical photographs captured during different stages of treatment - from endodontic procedures to the final restorative workflow

Because great dentistry is not only about protocols and materials

It is about details

It is about precision

And it is about understanding how endodontics and restorative dentistry work together as one system

If you want to truly enjoy endodontics, perform it predictably, and confidently restore teeth after treatment, then you should join our comprehensive Big Endo-Resto Course at BG Academy

This is where clinical concepts become practical skills

📅 Courses in English:
26-27 June, 2026
1-2 November, 2026
https://belograd.com/hands_on_course/big_endo_resto_course/

📅 Даты курсов на русском:
16-17 августа 2026
https://belograd.com/ru/hands_on_course/endo-resto-kurs/

📍 BG Academy, Prague, Czech Republic

👉 Registration via the link above or on our website belograd.com

Our projects:
https://linktr.ee/BELOGRAD.PROJECTS

🧠 Clinical Thought Process

Dry Preparation

In my daily practice, I often use what I call a dry preparation approach.

This does not mean preparing teeth entirely without water. The primary reduction, creation of restorative space, and path of insertion are always performed with proper water cooling.

The dry stage begins later, when the preparation design needs to be refined to the highest level of precision. This is the moment when I focus on smoothing transitions, eliminating surface irregularities, refining preparation margins, and perfecting the finish line.

For this purpose, I use fine red diamond burs at approximately 10,000–20,000 rpm.

One very important detail is air cooling. If your unit allows you to switch off the water spray while switching on additive air flow through the electric motor, it becomes a significant advantage.

This approach is especially useful when working under a microscope. At high magnification, a water film often covers the preparation margin, creating reflections and reducing visual control. In a dry field, every detail becomes much easier to see and evaluate.

Many clinicians worry about overheating the tooth and causing pulpal complications. However, it is important to understand that we are not performing the main reduction at this stage. We are simply refining an already completed preparation. Air cooling, minimal pressure, intermittent movements, and careful handling make this procedure both safe and predictable.

I have been using this technique for more than 15 years, and it has consistently provided a significantly higher level of visual control during the final stages of preparation.

👉 Complete clinical process:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/959021237138002/

👉 Join our hands-on courses at belograd.com

👉 Explore other BG projects:
https://linktr.ee/BELOGRAD.PROJECTS

Analog impression protocol for vertical preparation

A predictable final restoration starts with a predictable impression

In this carousel, we’re sharing our analog impression protocol for vertically prepared teeth - from tissue management to the laboratory workflow and the final monolithic zirconia restoration

Swipe through to see each step of the protocol and the clinical outcome

If you’d like to learn the complete Vertical Preparation concept and master every clinical detail, join our course:

📌 Big Verti Prep Course (in English):
17-18 July, 2026
21-22 August, 2026
11-12 September, 2026
https://belograd.com/hands_on_course/big-verti-prep-course/

📌 Большой курс по вертикальному препарированию (синхронный перевод на русский):
03-04 июля 2026
20-21 ноября 2026
https://belograd.com/ru/hands_on_course/kurs-po-preparirovaniyu/

📍 BG Academy, Prague, Czech Republic

👉 Registration via the link above or on our website belograd.com

Our projects:
https://linktr.ee/BELOGRAD.PROJECTS

🧠 Clinical Thought Process

Why do I prefer bonding veneers and isolating teeth in small groups, two teeth at a time, and sometimes even one by one?

The classic approach of isolating the entire anterior segment or even the full arch works very well and remains an absolutely valid protocol. However, over time, I have changed my approach for several reasons.

The first reason is contamination control.

When I bond only the central incisors or a small group of teeth, I do not have to worry that bonding agent, cement, or other materials may accidentally get onto the adjacent teeth that are not yet ready for bonding.

The second reason is patient comfort.

During try-ins and bonding of vital teeth, anesthesia gradually starts to wear off. If the entire arch is isolated, the patient may experience discomfort in the area of teeth we are not even working on at that moment.

With local isolation, I can calmly control the sensitivity of each next segment and add anesthesia if needed.

The third reason is predictability.

If the rubber dam tears during the bonding of a large group of teeth, you often have to isolate a significant area again. When working in small segments, this issue is much easier to manage.

And the most important point is positioning control.

The more teeth you bond at the same time, the higher the risk of mistakes in veneer seating, contact points, and incisal edge position. When working two teeth at a time, I can fully focus on one specific area and control every stage of the bonding process.

There is also an important technical detail.

If the contact points are preserved, the adjacent tooth involved in forming the contact must also be isolated. For example, when bonding a canine, the first premolar should also be exposed through the rubber dam, even if it is intact or has already been bonded. Otherwise, it can be difficult to control the contact point and remove excess cement properly.

And finally, the question of time.

Many clinicians think that this approach takes significantly longer. In practice, it does not. When bonding one or two teeth at a time, the total procedure time is almost the same as with classic full isolation, while the level of control and predictability becomes much higher.

Sometimes slower means safer.

👉 Complete clinical sequence:
https://www.facebook.com/BeloGradAcademy/posts/pfbid02gy13ZGxQDge6URPYKzNfcA53fGUSpE31gQpSZatYPAGwPtnxaQKDqSDE5sKdxdmkl

👉 Join our hands-on courses at belograd.com

👉 Explore other BG projects:
https://linktr.ee/BELOGRAD.PROJECTS

When bonding ceramic restorations in the anterior region, most clinicians isolate the entire anterior segment, typically from premolar to premolar, or even from molar to molar. This is a well-established and widely accepted isolation protocol

However, I would like to share my own approach to isolation. It may seem somewhat unconventional at first, but from a clinical perspective it provides greater control during cementation and a significantly better patient experience

Discover the complete protocol in the Big Veneer Course:

🗓 Course in English:
21-22 June, 2026
31 July - 1 August, 2026
27-28 September, 2026
https://belograd.com/hands_on_course/big_veneer_course/

🗓 Курс на русском языке:
24-25 июля 2026
2-3 октября 2026
https://belograd.com/ru/hands_on_course/bolshoj-kurs-po-viniram/

📍 BG Academy, Prague, Czech Republic

👉 Registration via the link above or on our website belograd.com

Our projects:
https://linktr.ee/BELOGRAD.PROJECTS

🧠 Clinical Thought Process

Why do I prefer to open contact areas during tooth preparation?

Over the years, this has become my standard approach for veneers, onlays, and other indirect restorations.

The reason is simple: opening the contact makes life easier for everyone involved in the process.

First, for the dentist.

Modern intraoral scanners perform much better when there is a clear separation between adjacent teeth. When contacts are preserved, scanners often struggle to identify where one tooth ends and the next begins, leading to rescanning and potential inaccuracies.

Second, for the dental technician.

With an intact contact, the technician is forced to design a restoration in an area that is difficult to visualize and control. As a result, the contact may become too tight, requiring extensive chairside adjustments, or too loose, creating the risk of an open contact or incomplete margin coverage.

The next challenge comes during bonding.

Rubber dam isolation becomes more difficult, floss tends to shred during inversion, and the risk of tearing the dam increases significantly.

In addition, excess cement removal and polishing of the proximal area become far more predictable when contacts are opened.

Finally, there is the issue of risk management.

Since adopting this approach, I have repeatedly discovered areas of demineralized enamel hidden within proximal contacts.

Yes, some of these lesions may remineralize.

But I always ask myself:

What if they don’t?

What if this becomes the starting point of future caries beneath an otherwise perfectly executed restoration?

That is why I prefer to have complete control over the proximal area rather than leave it to chance.

📸 In our recent post, I showed some of my preparations from 2010 and discussed what I would do differently today. Opening contact areas is one of those changes.

👉 Complete clinical sequence:
https://www.facebook.com/BeloGradAcademy/posts/pfbid02U6sqNBKwvMfT4n3ApWvbJQfbqrNvfpC2reapqd25M9RkNoaaoxJDWpqMcqejF1R8l

👉 Join our hands-on courses at belograd.com

👉 Explore other BG projects:
https://linktr.ee/BELOGRAD.PROJECTS

Preps from the past

This case was done back in 2010

At that time, I was proud of these preparations. And honestly, I still believe they were done with attention to detail and respect for the tooth structure

But looking back is one of the most valuable exercises in dentistry

The interesting part is that progress rarely comes from looking at perfect cases

Progress comes from critically analyzing your own work and asking:

“What would I do differently today?”

That question has probably improved my dentistry more than anything else

If you want to shorten your learning curve and learn the preparation principles I use today, join the BIG PREP COURSE at BG Academy:

📅 English courses:
14-15 June 2026
12-13 July 2026
7-8 August 2026
4-5 September 2026
9-10 October 2026
https://belograd.com/hands_on_course/big_prep_course/

📅 Курсы на русском языке:
14-15 августа 2026
23-24 октября 2026
https://belograd.com/ru/hands_on_course/bolshoj-kurs-po-preparirovaniyu/

📍 BG Academy, Prague, Czech Republic

👉 Registration via the link above or on our website belograd.com

Our projects:
https://linktr.ee/BELOGRAD.PROJECTS

How much into the sulcus should we go?

Using a bur with laser marks gives us complete control over the depth of preparation. Each mark serves as a visual reference, helping us to be predictable and consistent

👉 Swipe through the gallery to learn more

Predictability comes from controlling both depth and angulation throughout every step of the Vertical Freedom BOPT concept protocol

To learn how to achieve predictable results like this, join the Big Verti Prep Course by Stefano Conti

📌 Course in English
17-18 July, 2026
21-22 August, 2026
11-12 September, 2026
https://belograd.com/hands_on_course/big-verti-prep-course/

📌 Большой курс по вертикальному препарированию (синхронный перевод на русский)
03-04 июля 2026
20-21 ноября 2026
https://belograd.com/ru/hands_on_course/kurs-po-preparirovaniyu/

📍 BG Academy, Prague, Czech Republic

👉 Registration via the link above or on our website belograd.com

Our projects:
https://linktr.ee/BELOGRAD.PROJECTS