Creating translucent edge effects and maverick internal tints using microhybrid resin.

Today's composite resins possess optical and physical characteristics that have expanded their clinical indications. The successful and predictable application of these materials depends on the practitioner's understanding of their material properties as well as the clinical requirements involved in their delivery; identifying the characteristics of the natural tooth is also important. This presentation reviews contemporary resin materials and demonstrates simple and repeatable guidelines for margin and material placement that improve the clinician's ability to implement microhybrid resins in daily practice.

Composite resin layering and placement techniques: case presentation and scientific evaluation.

Unlabelled: Composite resin technology has evolved, providing clinicians with the ability to deliver more natural-looking restorations for their dental patients. The evolution of layering techniques and internal staining procedures has further improved composite resins' potential for optimal results. This article discusses difficulties associated with traditional composite layering and staining, and it presents in vitro research that supports a novel layering approach.

Simplified techniques for the placement of stratified polychromatic anterior and posterior direct composite restorations.

Although many tooth-colored indirect restorative materials are available, dentists frequently employ direct composite resins as a primary tooth-colored restorative material. Direct resin systems that are suited for stratification, or layering of various opacities and colors of dental composite, offer dentists the opportunity to accurately reproduce natural teeth in ways that rival the esthetics of most indirect systems. This article presents a simplified version of the classical three-layered technique originally described by Dietschi, and demonstrates the application of a recently introduced composite resin system.

Case selection criteria and a simplified technique for placing and finishing direct composite veneers.

This article addresses the key obstacles clinicians face when considering direct composite veneers as a treatment option for the cosmetic correction of anterior teeth. These obstacles include case selection, material selection, the best technique to allow the expeditious placement of the veneers, and, ultimately, final esthetics. The best clinical situations for choosing direct composite veneers are identified, and a new microhybrid composite resin system, Esthet-X, which offers a simplified solution to shade matching and polishing, is introduced.