Daniele Gesini explains how a mock-up can be used to ensure patients are happy with the results of their aesthetic restoration.
High quality materials for the best mock-up results
During aesthetic rehabilitation with ceramic veneers, bi-directional communication between doctor and patient is essential. It is important to understand the patient’s personality and what they want, and turn that into a preliminary project which, if approved, will be transformed into the definitive restoration.
The best way to communicate the results of our aesthetic functional analysis is through the mock-up, ie the transformation into resin of the wax-up made by our trusted dental technician based on the indications provided to him/her. This allows the patient to preview the restoration before it is actually carried out. We simulate all the changes in form, arrangement and colour that we intend to carry out by means of aesthetic restoration with veneers directly into the patient’s mouth.
It is therefore fundamental to plan the case, as best as possible, from the very beginning, starting with the impressions based on which the wax-ups are created. First impressions are generally taken using a less accurate material such as alginate, which will undoubtedly lead to defects and deficiencies in the work model, resulting in the introduction of errors right from the initial phases of restoration.
However, by taking an impression using a high-accuracy material such as the silicone Panasil, which comes in light- or heavy-bodied form or also as putty material, you ensure that the critical areas such as the gumline and all the particular features of the elements involved are recorded, resulting in an extremely accurate replica of the real situation (Fig 1).
This results in a precise and reliable work model for our dental technician to work with, being able to reproduce all the necessary details (Fig 2).
From a preview to an aesthetic and functional solution
As such, we provide optimum working conditions for our technician to be able to create the wax work model and fully replicate it in the patient’s mouth using the mock-up mould. The mould is guaranteed to be more realistic and detailed because it has derived from a high-precision model.
This results in better communication between the doctor and the patient and the approval of the proposed restoration. The mould will then be used as an accurate guide in the preparation of our dental elements and finally we will be able to use it reliably as a provisional denture on invasive cases while the permanent restorations are being made (Fig 3).
Therefore, a high-precision impression material such as Panasil is ideal not only to accurately record our definitive restorations, but also for carrying out the rehabilitation project. It also ensures efficient communication with the patient through the mock-up procedure, allowing the patient to wear and enjoy his or her new smile early, and see what the final outcome will look like even before beginning treatment (Fig 4).
This article is sponsored by Kettenbach.
