Life on the arc: principle-centered comprehensive care.

Today's dental practice is experiencing an evolution in the manner through which new materials and techniques are marketed and introduced. An increasing concern among the patient population regarding aesthetics contributes to the acceptance of a commodity dental philosophy, without questioning the reliability of the technique or new material. A principle-centered practice differentiates the product marketing from the viability of a restorative material in vivo. This article discusses the concept of a principle-centered practice and describes how to place quality products in a balanced system in which harmony exits between all components of the masticatory system: the teeth, the muscles, and the temporomandibular joints.