Diagnostic wax-up as a guide to ceramic veneer preparations

Rafael Ferrone Andreiuolo, Anna Paula Gonzaga Martins, João Luiz Bittencourt de Abreu, Rodrigo Ramos Fernandes, Katia Regina Hostilio Cervantes Dias

Tooth preparation, when necessary, is one of the most important considerations in the fabrication of porcelain laminate veneers. Bonding to enamel provides strongest bond values when compared to dentin. This way, the focus on tooth preparation is to be conservative in the reduction of sound tooth structure, aiming longevity. At least two different strategies for tooth preparation can be found in the literature. Simplified protocols included the use of depth cutters guided by the existing tooth surface. That approach did not take into consideration alterations of the tooth due to aging, wear, or loss of enamel and thus led to greater risks for dentin exposure. More sophisticated methods have integrated an additive diagnostic procedure (wax-up or mock-up) to simulate the aimed restoration anatomy. This approach allows for more enamel preservation and, as a consequence, more predictable bonding, biomechanics and esthetics. The present article reviews the existing literature regarding tooth preparation for porcelain laminate veneers, and illustrates in detail the technique for tooth preparation based on a diagnostic wax-up of the final restoration.

Keywords: Dental veneers. Ceramics. Tooth preparation.

How to cite: Como citar este artigo: Andreiuolo RF, Martins APG, Abreu JLB, Fernandes RR, Dias KRHC. Diagnostic wax-up as a guide to ceramic veneer preparations. J Clin Dent Res. 2017 Jul-Sept;14(3):88-97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14436/2447-911x.14.3.088-097.oar

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