cosmetic dentistry - beauty & science

special topic _ veneers I option to modify the appearance of tooth posi- tion and form, to close diastemas or cervical em- brasures or to change the tooth shade. Porcelain veneersareoneofthebestrestorativetreatment options available from biological, functional, mechanical and aesthetic perspectives. Preser- vation of enamel is one of the main concerns if such a treatment is envisaged. The conventional laminate veneer techniques often require aggressive removal of dental tis- sue, which goes against the principles of conser- vative dentistry. New techniques and materials allow aesthetically pleasing and functional- ly long-lasting restorations to be produced while limiting tooth preparation. By using diag- nostic guides, such as a wax-up, and a fluorap- atite glass-ceramic material (IPS d.SIGN, Ivoclar Vivadent), dentists and dental technicians can fabricate minimally invasive ceramic veneers and thus provide their patients with lifelike, aes- thetic restorations that also meet the functional criteria. _Case presentation A 52-year-old female patient presented with complaints about the shape and size of her max- illary centrals, and she wanted the midline di- astema closed (Fig. 1). After discussion with the patient, it was decided that porcelain veneers (IPS d.SIGN) would be placed on teeth #11 and 21. We wanted to apply a conservative protocol to fulfil the patient’s wishes. Leucite-reinforced fluorapatite layering ce- ramic (IPS d.SIGN, for instance) is ideal for bonded ceramic restorations such as veneers. The material’s special qualities include out- standing optical properties and wear behaviour. The physical properties are very close to those found in natural teeth. As a result, IPS d.SIGN is the material of choice for treatments requiring conservative veneers. By using a direct layering technique on re- fractory dies, laboratory ceramists can provide their customers and patients with restorations that display the vitality and fluorescence re- quired to make them indistinguishable from natural dentition. With increased brightness, higher shade consistency, natural opalescence and a wide range of characterisation options, this glass-ceramic material enables professional creativity in addressing a variety of restorative cases. Additionally, the IPS d.SIGN porcelain Fig. 3_The working stone model for the creation of the veneers. Fig. 4_The material was layered on refractory dies. The silicone matrix fabricated on the basis of the wax-up was used as a guide. Fig. 5_Quality dentine materials together with excellent technical and manual skills are required to create tooth-like veneers made up of many individual layers. Fig. 6_The stratification was created by applying various brightness and translucency levels. Fig. 7_The dental lobes were created in the incisal area with custom-mixed ivory- and cream-coloured materials, which were applied in thin layers. Fig. 8_The baked veneers. Fig. 9_The entire porcelain surface was coated with silver powder to better assess symmetry and surface morphology. I 15cosmeticdentistry 2_2012 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9