Direct veneers in anterior smile design

Contact details: Dr Michael Dieter Bahnhofstrasse 50 9470 Buchs Switzerland [email protected] Figure 1: Initial situation: Unsatisfactory smile with multiple carious lesions, discoloured composite restorations and abraded areas. This clinical case report describes in detail the application of Tetric N-Collection to reconstruct the patient’s smile chairside in the least invasive manner. Direct additive procedures with bonded resin composites are considered the most conservative and least invasive technique1 to return missing, diseased and unsightly tooth structure to enhanced colour, form and function in the esthetic zone However, the creation of natural-looking restorations can be quite a challenge for the clinician. For complex anterior composite restorations the clinician must have a comprehensive understanding of the colour, translucency and morphology of natural teeth as well as of the materials science2,3 and the restorative techniques involved.4,5 Today’s nano-hybrid composites provide improved strength, wear resistance, handling properties and surface characteristics.6 The question is, however, if their optical properties can ideally mimic natural tooth tissues – a prerequisite for restorations that are invisible to the human eye at a speaking distance.