Dobrze wykorzystaj to, co masz

Make good use of what you have

A systematic approach is essential when the aim is to achieve the best possible esthetic results in tight situations. Apart from the tooth morphology, the parameters of brightness, opacity and translucency have to be taken into account.

A radiant smile suggests a positive attitude and plays an important role in human interaction. When a person’s smile is changed, this influences the way in which the person is perceived by others. In order to change a patient’s smile in a way that will be attractive and effective, a wax-up and/or mock-up should be used to determine the treatment goal at the outset. This approach also allows as much tooth structure as possible to be preserved. Once a favourable basis has been established, the permanent restoration can be created, without any significant preparation in some cases.

A wax-up is an indispensible aid in diagnosing and analyzing the individual restorative needs of the patient, since it reflects the actual conditions. Furthermore, the cementation protocol must be established at the beginning of the treatment, so that the wax- -up can be used to anticipate and avoid any possible problems.

Case study

In the following case, a young actress wished to have the composite restorations in tooth 11 and 21 replaced with a long-lasting, esthetic solution. In addition, the patient was dissatisfied with the dark appearance of her central incisor (figs 1 and 2). Therefore, the aim of the treatment was to apply non-invasive principles and use only very little restorative material to achieve an outstanding result.

Wax-up