A single porcelain veneer can greatly enhance a smile when using a custom blend of porcelains
This patient came in frustrated and disappointed with a recent restoration on a front tooth. On exam, we discovered a damaged central incisor, with a pre-existing veneer that was over-sized and poorly fitted at the gum-line. The overall color was a flat mono-chromatic porcelain which did not match well.
We discussed options to solve this problem: her decision came down to whether she preferred the flat mono-chromatic porcelain look, or whether she preferred the idiosyncratic details within her own natural enamel. To have preferred a flat color, many teeth would require veneers that replaced the mottled enamel with single creamy mix of porcelain – however, the patient preferred the concept of conservative dentistry and chose to accept the look of her natural dentition.
This damaged central incisor was restored with a new porcelain veneer. Custom color-matching was performed, and detailed to the ceramist in a color map; the ceramist then created a blend of feldspathic porcelains to re-create the natural intrinsic stains that make this porcelain life-like and real. The bonded porcelain veneer returns rigidity and strength to the front of this damaged tooth, and returns symmetry and confidence to the patient.
After photo: placement of a hand-stacked custom blend of feldspathic porcelains on the left central incisor mirror the intrinsic details of the natural right central incisor.
For more cases like this, see our FlickR page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/drcaughey/sets/