Judy & Linda – “Sisters With New Smiles”

Judy was concerned about incisal edge wear, multiple vertical enamel fractures, and cold sensitivity associated with her upper anterior teeth. Judy wished to restore her teeth for all the reasons above but she also wanted a natural, age-appropriate color for her new smile rather than whiter teeth. Dr. Beasley determined that teeth # 5 through 13 needed to be restored with conservative, minimal reduction porcelain veneers at 1st phase treatment and that lower anterior teeth # 22 through 27 will need to be restored at 2nd phase treatment. Dr. Beasley applied AACD accreditation smile design principals, utilizing the aid of computer imaging, to communicate the new smile design to Judy and gain her input and approval. This imaging photo along with several smile design records and other information was given to the laboratory to aid in creating the diagnostic wax-up. Dr. Beasley and Judy evaluated temporary veneers made from the diagnostic wax-up for proper aesthetics, phonetics, function, and comfort. She also utilized a Viajet oral irrigator daily during the time she was in temporaries to aid in keeping her tissue healthy and clean interproximally. All together, teeth # 5 through 13 were restored on the upper arch. Teeth # 5, 12, and 13 were Authentic porcelain crowns and teeth # 6 through 11 were Authentic porcelain veneers. Judy’s crowns and veneers were created by master ceramist Mr. Kreig Degraff of D & M Dental Arts, Merced, California. Cosmetic dentistry and smile design performed by Dr. R. Brad Beasley.

Linda had several different dental problems that needed to be addressed. These problems included heavy incisal edge wear, abfraction lesions, and exposed crown margins. She also had lost most of the inside enamel on her upper incisors. Dr. Beasley determined that there was insufficient inter-arch space to restore the upper incisors with needed full coverage porcelain restorations. One option to create necessary space to correct her over-closed bite with longer porcelain crowns would be to move the teeth first with orthodontics. However, because of the poor condition of her aged posterior dentistry, Linda chose not to do orthodontics and instead upgrade her old posterior crowns and bridges all at the same time. This near full mouth reconstruction allowed Linda’s bite to be opened in the anterior without braces. All together, teeth # 3 through 14 were restored on the upper arch and # 19 through 31 were restored on the lower arch. On the upper, teeth # 3 and 14 were restored with porcelain fused to metal crowns and # 4 through # 13 were restored with Authentic porcelain crowns. On the lower, teeth # 19 through # 21 and # 28 through 30 were restored with porcelain fused to metal bridges, # 22 through # 27 incisal edges were restored with composite resin, and # 31 with a single porcelain fused to metal crown. All crowns and bridgework were created by master ceramist Mr. Kreig Degraff of D & M Dental Arts, Merced, California. Cosmetic dentistry and smile design performed by Dr. R. Brad Beasley.