PDF Version - Glidewell Dental Labs

– ARTICLE and CLINICAL PHOTOS by
Tarun Agarwal, DDS, PA
Digital
Imaging:
An Important Visual Aid in
Treatment Planning and Case Acceptance
Photographic imaging has been available in dentistry
for many years. Typically, it has been used for full-smile
makeover simulations. Full-smile simulations can be very
difficult and time consuming, however, and can often create
unrealistic expectations or outcomes. This challenge, added
to the expense of investing in traditional dental imaging
software, leads many clinicians to completely avoid the use
of digital imaging in their practice.
For anterior cases, digital imaging can and should play a
vital role in patient education and decision-making. In fact,
in situations where a few teeth are being treated, its use
may be even more important than for full-smile restorations.
This case study will demonstrate how digital imaging can be
used to communicate different treatment possibilities and
assist in patient treatment acceptance. It will also detail the
clinical technique used for achieving the patient’s desired
final result (Figs. 1, 2).
Case Presentation
A 34-year-old male presented to our office for cosmetic
consultation at the urging of his girlfriend. His major
concern was to fix the chip on the mesial-incisal corner
of tooth #8 and a broken tooth #9 (Figs. 3, 4). During our
consultation, I inquired about his overall treatment goals.
He said he wasn’t sure what he wanted and that he hadn’t
given the matter much thought.
This particular case was not cut and dry, and there were
multiple treatment options and things to consider. Do
we close the diastema or leave it open? Do we keep the
Figure 1: “Before” photo
Figure 2: “After” photo
Figure 3: Preoperative photo showing chipped tooth #8 and fractured
tooth #9
Figure 4: Close-up photo of tooth #8 and #9
Digital Imaging: An Important Visual Aid in Treatment Planning and Case Acceptance63