title: Smile makeover utilizing direct composite resin veneers.
abstract: Creating a beautiful smile is more than restoring a single tooth back to its proper form. One must take into account the entire aesthetic zone, along with the mechanics of restoring the teeth to proper form and function. To make this effort even more challenging, the clinician is in full control and completely accountable for making the direct composite resin restorations from which the smile is created. Patients usually won't critique the aesthetics of a posterior direct resin, but once we move into the visible smile (along with the fact that most cosmetic procedures are patient desire- and want-driven) we must be able to deliver what the patient expects. Preplanning the case and avoiding the "prep and pray" approach to the smile-design process is the cornerstone of success. Utilizing tools for the creation of the restorations, such as a preoperative wax-up and silicone putty matrix, help the clinician break the procedure down to individual restorations that when created in harmony with the pre-operative design or wax-up, will allow a final "smile design" to emerge with predictability without getting lost in the daunting task of creating the entire smile all at once. Proper use of ideal composite materials adds the final touch on creating realistic results that even the most discerning patients demand. Layering colors, utilizing differing opacities and translucencies within the restorative process, is a must. Having a "recipe" to follow simplifies the process and gives the clinician confidence that the final result will have that realistic look. All in all, the easiest way to handle a challenging case is to break it down into smaller and more manageable increments in order to ensure a predictable outcome.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koczarski
mesh_terms: D003116:Color; D003142:Communication; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D003775:Dental Polishing; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design / Q000295:instrumentation; D003801:Dental Veneers; D003804:Dentin / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005890:Gingivectomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D012904:Smiling; D013499:Surface Properties; D019246:Tooth Preparation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003188:Composite Resins; D003764:Dental Materials