The traditional porcelain fused to metal crown used in the aesthetic zone, has become a primary motivating factor for patients seeking a dental consultation. Patient desires and expectations have increased dramatically with the use of all-ceramic restorations in cosmetic dentistry today. Porcelain crowns/veneers have many advantages when compared with metal based restoration specifically relating to light and the way it is absorbed, reflected and transmitted, into and out of the dentition.
One or two anterior restorations surrounded by the natural dentition can be one of the most challenging treatments facing the dental team. Communication between the patient, the dentist and the laboratory technician, is essential in order to achieve the best possible result for the patient.
A male patient in his mid-thirties presented for a Smile Analysis. He had received a traumatic blow to his right central incisor during his teens which resulted in a large fracture. Subsequently this tooth was crowned with a porcelain fused to metal crown.
Over the years, his gums receded revealing the dark metal margin of the crown. The patient noticed his smile had become dingy, and started bleaching his teeth. He then became self-conscious because the single anterior crown no longer matched the surrounding teeth.
The color, contour and restorative material on the crowned tooth was less than desirable and could be improved with today’s advanced dental materials. A porcelain veneer on the adjacent central incisor could correct the length discrepancy and enamel defects.
The patient’s treatment consisted of a single-visit whitening procedure and the replacement of the existing crown on the right central and a veneer on the left central.
Conclusion:
The natural beauty of this patient’s smile was brought into harmony through exquisite communication between the dentist and the lab technician. To retore one or two anterior teeth to blend naturally with the surrounding dentition, is extremely rewarding.