Congratulations, Dr. Zelen on another article published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry! This article dives into the case of a patient who had fallen and broken his front tooth.
The patient reported he was experiencing sensitivity to temperature and touch with the broken tooth. An x-ray was taken to rule out any pulpal involvement or pathology (tooth decay or any diseases resulting from decay). It was determined that there was a large fracture in #8 and a small fracture in #9, the patient’s two front teeth. Tests were done to ensure that the patient was otherwise in good health. He was made aware of possible risks associated with doing a Class IV Restoration, and agreed to go ahead with treatment.
There is a lot to take into account in order for the filling to look flawless. Having the correct shade and opacity is vital for the outcome. The correct shade is found by curing small amounts of composite against the adjacent teeth. It is important to do this before any treatment or dehydration of the teeth, as to get the correct hue and value. The patient came back about one week later to re-eval and modify if needed.
Dr. Zelen was confident in fixing the teeth, and you would never even know by looking at them that they were broken at one point!
Check out our Instagram if you love to see some cool before and after shots of veneers, Invisalign results, and composites like this case: @mountroyaldental