Kristine Aadland I was uploading photos last night when my husband was looking over my shoulder and said "Oh I can't wait for you to do that case! What a difference it will make for her." He was certainly surprised when I told him that this was my final photo, not my before picture...
He thought I was kidding until I showed him the before picture. He asked my why I just didn't redo the centrals as well...
I am always intrigued to discover what a patient sees about themselves when he/she smiles. In this case, she saw the lines on her laterals that were staining, but did not have any concerns with the esthetics of her two front teeth. Of course, as a dentist and someone who loves front teeth, my concern was the centrals. We talked about them, what could be improved, but again it just wasn't her priority. Will they need to be replaced someday- absolutely, but first I need to gain her trust. So I did some simple bonding on #7 and #10 using the same techniques that I do when I stain and glaze my Cerec crowns. I love using Cosmedent's Creative Color Tints and opaquers to mask any lines and help blend composites in nicely. Just like I would bevel to hide the margin on an onlay, I also bevel my margin on the facial to hide that dreaded line that composites tend to show. I know how to contour much better now, because I do them over and over on my anterior crowns trying to make them appear natural and this translates to my composite work. I also take time to really make my margins smooth and I polish heavily to help prevent staining. These techniques are simple and fast but can make a huge impact on the result.
There has not been a single day that I have regretted my journey in the Cerec world and this is why. Everyday I feel like I can apply the skills that I learn here on this board or from this community. Everyday I feel like I am becoming a better dentist and my journey is far from over.
