The success of prosthodontic treatment for improved facial appearance is directly related to good treatment planning. The goal of modern implant dentistry is to achieve integration of dental implants and prosthodontic treatment which replaces a missing tooth or teeth and lost supporting structures, as well as to restore proper aesthetics and function.  In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary for the patient and dentist to be able to visualize the final prosthetic results, prior to implant/prosthetic treatment. Therefore it is essential for the dentist to have a thorough understanding of all phases of treatment in order to diagnose, treatment plan, and restore natural appearance.

An approach to improved facial and dental appearance is by whitening teeth with home or in office power bleaching. Many times however, there might be conditions such as wear, stained teeth or rotations that can best be corrected by (veneering) improving tooth aesthetics with thin porcelain veneers to create a more symmetrical arrangement and appearance. Whenever this is done, designing the final shapes of the teeth with computer generated imaging and diagnostic wax-up prior to treatment is critical.

Traditional crowns may also be used to correct tooth appearance and problems. There are different types of crowns and materials used.  Some are all porcelain that are constructed by pressing molten ceramic materials, that are Lucite reinforced and are bonded directly to the teeth or made of zirconia substructure with CAD/CAM technology and veneered with porcelain, http://www.dr-amet.com/Cercon.htm.  Traditional dental crowns have been constructed of porcelain fused to a noble or high noble metal substructure or all gold crowns.  Since patient aesthetics is important and the crowns are often in the aesthetic zone, one of the porcelain type systems is often used.

The type of laboratory porcelain building technique used can determine how real the color appears. The more sophisticated porcelain crowns use a multi-porcelain layering technique and the color is built within the crown's porcelain.  Simpler or standard crowns might have only three layers of porcelain for color control, while the more cosmetic crowns may have eight or more layers. The margins or junction of the crown to the teeth might also be made totally of porcelain and blend into the root without a dark line. The type of tooth preparation by the Prosthodontist, the material used in the building crowns as well as the skill of the technicians are the final determinants for clinical success.

Since the dental laboratory plays such an important roll in the treatment, having an in-office laboratory with skilled technicians is critical to achieve the desired fit, aesthetics, and functional results.  The coordination of the artistic skills of the dentist and technician as a team determine the end result.

Dr. EDward M. Amet, is an American Board Certified Prosthodontist and American Board Certified Implant Dentist, and with his staff, provides complex and comprehensive dental treatment.  He founded the Reconstructive & Implant Dental Center in 1988 in Overland Park, Kansas and the Reconstructive & Implant Dental Laboratory in 1994.  He has practiced clinically  for more than 40 years and has placed dental implants since 1974.  Dr. Amet and his staff have had extensive training and experience in both the surgical and prosthodontic phases of treatment, including digital 3-Dimensional radiographs for precise implant planning and placement, and grafting, with or without grafting. The on site dental laboratory technicians and Dr. Amet make the prosthodontics personalized and cosmetic for each patient. "My goal is to provide patients with the finest quality of care as comfortably and pain-free as possible."  EDward M. Amet DDS BS MSD FACP

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