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16 I I case report _ veneers with aluminium oxide to allow for better me- chanical retention. Before the application of a bonding agent (OptiBond Solo Plus Unidose, Kerr), 37 % phosphoric etch was placed and rinsed. Tooth #8 was bonded first using various lay- ers of composite, starting with a micro-hybrid (Premise, Kerr/Sybron) and ending with a micro- filled composite (Renamel, COSMEDENT). This tooth was contoured and polished with a series of polishing discs (SHOFU) before proceeding so that the next tooth (#9) could be matched to this tooth without being bonded to it. Teeth # 7, 9 and 10 were bonded in a similar fashion with various shades to create a more natural, graded appearance. As before, each tooth was polished before bonding the next one. Final contouring and polishing were achieved, and a high shine was gained with a Twist-2-It and polishing paste. In about two hours, the patienthadanewsmile!Eventhepost-operative gumline looked amazing immediately, with no bleeding (Fig. 9). Gentle Gel, an Aloe vera and herbal gel, was placed along the gumline and given to the patient to apply at home to help soothe the gums and facilitate quicker healing. The patient was amazed with and loved his new smile im- mediately. When he returned for his two-week follow- up visit, the gums were ideally contoured, the resin veneers looked wonderful, and the patient said they felt wonderful too (Fig. 10). No polish- ing was required, so another high shine polish was done to make them sparkle. Post-operative photographs were taken and the patient was very pleased with the results (Fig. 11). He also mentioned that he had no immediate post- operative pain, and his gums looked and felt better in just a couple days after the bond- ing appointment. Overall, the patient was ecstatic about the dramatic improvement, especially the contouring of the gumline, which con- tributed immensely to the final cosmetic result. He also loved that his beautiful smile was achieved in a single bonding appoint- ment with a minimally invasive approach—less is more. Now he is already thinking about and looking forward to his next dental venture— resin veneers for his premolars._ cosmeticdentistry 2_2011 Fig. 8_Immediate post-op photograph of resin veneers and gumlift on teeth #7 to 10. Fig. 9_Close-up two weeks post-op, retracted. Fig. 10_Close-up two weeks post-op. Fig. 11_Happy patient. Dr Sarah Kong graduated from the Baylor College of Dentistry,where she was later Professor of Restorative Dentistry.She specialises in preventive and restorative dentistry,transitionals, anaesthesia and periodontal care.Dr Kong is an active member of numerous professional organisations,including theAmerican DentalAssociation,Academy of General Dentistry, AmericanAcademy of Cosmetic Dentistry,Texas DentalAssociation and Dallas County Dental Society. Shecanbecontactedatdrkong@dallasdentalspa.com. cosmeticdentistry _about the author Fig. 8 Fig. 9 Fig. 10 Fig. 11