Use Mock-Ups to Increase Case Acceptance
Using a mock-up is a great way to create value for esthetic dentistry. They help to visualize the desired end result in the patient’s mouth; it helps you and the patient see what is possible.
There are many different ways to achieve a mock-up. Direct free-hand bonding is one method. A silicone index or copyplast of a diagnostic wax-up, which is then filled with a self-curing provisional material and applied to the teeth, is another very good method. However, both of these take time and can be costly.
A very simple method is to use Triad light cured lab resin and apply it directly to a diagnostic model. Once it’s carved and shaped it can be cured, and then taken to the patient’s mouth for evaluation.
My patient Lisa presented with a narrow buccal corridor. She wanted a broader smile. Orthodontics was not an option for her. As an alternative, a mock-up would help her visualize the possibility of a wider smile. I made a diagnostic model and the gingival outline was marked in red. Separator was then painted on the model, followed by a thin layer (0.5-1.00mm) of Triad.
The Triad was molded and carved to the proposed dimensions and then light cured in a Triad oven. It was then refined with finishing disks and sealed with Palaseal (light cured denture sealer). Lisa was appointed for the mock-up try-in. It dramatically improved her smile appearance. She loved it so much, she scheduled for six porcelain veneers to widen her buccal corridor.
Jeffrey T. Bonk DDS, Spear Visiting Faculty. [ jeffreybonkdds.com ]
