Preplanned Esthetics in Prosthodontics - A Controlled Approach

Abstract

The benefits of preplanned oral rehabilitation procedures are: high quality dentistry, better patient-dentist communication, increased efficiency, and reduced stress throughout treatment. The preplanned esthetic approach is a controlled, staged procedure in which every stage is a copy of the previous one, allowing for improvement where necessary. The final result fulfills the patient’s expectations, agreed upon and documented at the outset. The procedure follows these three steps: 1. Imaging. Imaging is based on esthetic evaluation and diagnosis of the patient. Composite resin and a black marker are commonly used to add or reduce tooth structure in this process. Documentation by photography and stone casts are used for reference and duplication. The proposed result should be approved by the patient. 2. Provisional restorations. The teeth are waxed according to the imaging models and then duplicated in acrylic resin. On delivery, the provisional restorations are evaluated functionally and esthetically and improved upon if necessary. The result is confirmed and agreed upon and documented again by photography and stone casts. 3. Final restoration. The final restoration is a duplicate of the provisional restoration. A technique of cross mounting is used to mount the provisional casts and the working cast on the same articulator. Silicone keys guide the dental technician in constructing the metal framework and the porcelain buildup. This systematic approach can be applied in every dental procedure that involves changes in the esthetic zone. It ensures a better match between the patients expectations and the final result and promotes higher quality dentistry