Episode 693 · August 11, 2025
The Semi-Direct Composite Crown: Artistic, Conservative, and Chairside in 30 Minutes
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Featured Guest
Dr. Lauren Rainey and Dr. Mauricio Watanabe
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Dr. Lauren Yasuda Rainey is a proud alumna of the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. After receiving her dental degree, she completed a General Practice Residency at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. Her focus at Tufts was on advanced restorative techniques, including the use of surgical microscopes for restorative care, treating patients with complex medical needs and strengthening her skills by teaching in the undergraduate dental clinics.
After residency training, Dr. Rainey began teaching at the Dugoni School of Dentistry in the Department of Reconstructive Dental Sciences and the Department of Dental Practice. She was involved in both lectures and hands-on coursework in teledentistry, pre-clinical restorative curriculum, and local anesthesia administration. Dr. Rainey continues to teach direct composite restorative programs including black triangle closures, predictable class II techniques and is an advocate for using composite resin for crown alternatives wherever possible. She has taught dentists in the US and Canada, both in-person and in virtual hands-on formats. Dr. Rainey was recently featured by the Seattle Study Club in their Expert Tips series.
Dr. Rainey maintains a private practice in Berkeley, California where she developed and launched her own in-office membership program in 2018. She is active in mentorship and community building with her involvement with the Wellesley Club of Northern California, the Bioclear Alumni Network, and currently sits on the board of the Alumni Association at the Dugoni School of Dentistry. In her free time, you can find her outdoors in the Bay Area, mentoring young women interested in the health professions or whipping up a cake.
He graduated dentistry at the University of Araçatuba - UNESP, Brazil and has a Master's Degree in Prosthodontics.
He is specialised in Periodontics and Buco-Maxillofacial Surgery and Traumatology.
Currently he has his own practice in Brazil, and he is teaching courses of cosmetic dentistry in Brazil and South America.
Episode Summary
According to our guest, Dr. Mauricio Watanabe, a world-respected speaker and clinician, by using a highly filled nano-composite to fabricate the crown, the same material we use for our deep margin elevation and filling in our undercuts, a semi-direct full coverage restoration will provide long-term predictable success. And Dr. Watanabe has years of cases and research to support his opinion. The whole procedure can be done in 30 minutes when pouring your impression with a fast setting silicone material. So if you're looking to practice conservative dentistry and preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible and still deliver a full coverage crown, you might find the semi-direct restoration an excellent option for many of your large caries cases. Dr. Lauren Rainey, a well-respected clinician and KOL will also be joining us.
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