Dentaltown June 2018 - 98

The Direct

Approach
Creating aesthetic direct veneers
with single-shade composites

by Dr. Sigal Jacobson
Dentist and inventor Dr. Sigal
Jacobson is an internationally
acclaimed lecturer with more
than 22 years of experience in
aesthetic dentistry. Jacobson,
who has been named one of the
"Top 25 Women in Dentistry,"
enjoys teaching and advancing
skills in conservative aesthetic
dentistry. She strongly believes
that dentists need to protect tooth vitality and respect its
natural structure. Jacobson has contributed clinical case
studies in leading dental magazines in the U.S. and lectures
on minimally invasive aesthetic dentistry and simplifying
anterior composite restorations using the Uveneer system.
In her lectures, she provides insightful tips and practical
learning tools for everyday practice.

98

JUNE 2018 // dentaltown.com

In everyday practice, composite restorations have become an integral part of
contemporary restorative dental practice
and can be called "star of minimal invasion"
because of their conservative concept and
affordable cost.
Recent developments in composite resin
considerably improve physical and aesthetic
properties, enabling practitioners to create
restorations with excellent longevity and a
higher patient satisfaction rate.1
Many dentists consider direct composite
placement in the anterior region, whether to
enhance to the tooth shape or color, to be
somewhat challenging. Some of these challenges include creating the final anatomical
landmarks and contours and selecting the
precise shade of composite that will blend
and polish to perfection. The technique
demands an artistic skill and considerable
investment of time and effort.
In addition, many composite manufacturers propose a multilayer protocol, which
requires placing an assortment of opacities
and translucencies to create a natural, polychromatic effect. In clinical situations,
layering techniques are complicated and
time-consuming. As a result, many dentists
give up on layering techniques and search for
simpler methods and materials that involve
creating restorations with only one or two
shades of composite.

This article will outline a unique and
efficient technique to create natural-looking
direct veneers with a single composite shade
using the Uveneer composite template system.
The Uveneer system is an assortment
of templates that simulate the buccal shape
and anatomical landmarks of anterior teeth.
The kit consists of maxillary and mandibular
teeth, from premolar to premolar, in two
sizes based on the smile design rules and
proportions and will fit most patients. 2
Each template is made from a transparent,
fiberglass-based material, making the kit
durable and autoclavable.
After applying composite on the facial
surface of a prepped tooth and pressing
the appropriate template, one round of
light curing-after which the template is
removed-produces a void-free restoration.
Moreover, studies show that the oxygen
inhibition layer (OIL) is softer and more
susceptible to wear and stain.3 With light
curing through the template, the formation
of the OIL is prevented, forming a glossy
and more durable restoration.

Shade selection in five steps
One challenge in creating naturallooking anterior restorations is matching
the right composite shade to the tooth.
This step is crucial and has a significant
impact on the success of the restoration.
http://www.dentaltown.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown June 2018
