Dental Tribune UK Edition, October 4-10, 2010, No.24 Vol.4

About the author Dr. Flax has been an A c c r e d i t e d Member of the AACD since 1997. He was co-chair of the C o n f e r e n c e Advisory Com- mittee for the 2003 Annual Scientific Session and will be for the 2008 meeting in New Orleans. He is a member of the AACD Board of Directors, is on the editorial board of The Journal of Cosmetic Den- tistry, and chairs the Disaster Relief Fund. Dr. Flax also is a member of the ADA, the AGD, the ALD, the L.D. Pankey Alumni Association, and the Pierre Fauchard Society. He is a Fellow of the IADFE.Dr. Flax practices full time in Atlanta, Georgia, focusing on func- tional and appearance-related conditions and advanced la- ser dentistry. He and his wife, Robyn, have two daughters. month while occlusal therapy and bleaching procedures were performed. Four weeks after surgery, the tissues had healed and restorative care could be initi- ated. The patient’s teeth were prepared for veneers and a crown with mild soft tissue re- shaping, to fine-tune our pre- vious treatment. After taking impressions and bite registra- tions, prototype provisionals (Luxatemp Plus, Zenith DMG; Englewood, NJ) were fabricated using the “shrink-wrap” technique. The patient was sent home with the same home-care regi- men as mentioned previously, and instructed to “test-drive” her new smile for esthetics and function. She returned in a week to perfect the prototype’s oc- clusion, color, and morphol- ogy. Photographs and models were sent to the labora- tory, providing a final blue- print for the porcelain restorations (Fig 10). Satisfied Patient Four weeks later, the provi- sionals and cement were care- fully removed from the teeth. All restorations were tried in individually and as a group to verify fit and esthetics. After the patient’s enthusias- tic approval, the porce- lain was bonded using the two-by-two technique and isolation. Margins were smoothed and polished and occlusion balanced with the T-scan. A protective night- time appliance was created to add longevity to the rehabili- tation. Our very satisfied pa- tient said that we had exceeded her expectations. The use of a hard/soft tissue laser is a wonder- ful adjunctive tool for cos- metic and restorative den- tistry. The case discussed here demonstrates that this type of laser technology gives dentists the ability to make significant soft and hard tis- sue changes while being mini- mally invasive. These chang- es not only improve the final esthetic outcome of the case but also provide the physiologic functional param- eters required for successful dentistry. DT ‘These changes not only improve the final esthetic outcome of the case but also provide the physi- ologic functional parameters required for suc- cessful dentistry’ Acknowledgments The author thanks his office team and laboratory techni- cian, Mr. Wayne Payne (Payne Dental Lab, San Clem- ente, CA), for continu- ally enhancing the lives of many patients like the one presented here. He also is thankful to his family, who allow him to contribute to the educationofotherdentistsand their teams. 29ClinicalOctober 4-10, 2010United Kingdom Edition References 1. Kois JC. Altering gingival levels: The restorative connection, Part I: Biologic variables. J Esthet Dent 6(1):3-9, 1994.2. Rizoiu I, et al. Osseous repair subsequent to surgery with an erbium hydrokinetic laser system (pp. 213-221). International Laser Congress, International Proceedings Division. Athens, Greece, September 25-28, 1996. Editor’s Note: This article was adapted with permission from an article that appeared in the Spectrum AACD Is- sue, May 2006. Figure 12: Ideal proportions and emergence profiles will create long-term healthy tissues and bioesthetics. Figure 8: A curette helps clean and smooth the sulcus of any debris. Figure 9: A “laser bandage” is placed along the treated area to improve the healing time and decrease the patient’s discomfort. Note the immediate improvement of the geometric progression of gingival embrasures. Figure 10: Detailed information helps the laboratory to translate clinical results to the porcelain restorations. Figure 11: The great improvement in esthetics boosted the patient’s self-confidence and pride in her dental care. page 27DTß