A stereolithographic template for computer-assisted teeth preparation in dental esthetic ceramic veneer treatment

Abstract

Objective: This article describes a digital dental esthetic ceramic veneer treatment workflow using a stereolithographic template for teeth preparation. Clinical Considerations: We have presented the case of a 33-year-old woman with dental fluorosis who wanted an esthetic ceramic veneer treatment. A digital smile design was created on a virtual patient, and a virtual diagnostic wax-up was made. Based on the suggested ceramic material thickness, virtual teeth preparation was performed on the diagnostic wax-up. A special-teeth preparation template was then created digitally and fabricated using a stereolithographic technique. This template guided the teeth preparation using a special bur with a stopper. The veneers were fabricated by CAD/CAM and delivered good esthetics and function. Conclusions: The stereolithographic tooth reduction template helps realize digital restorative planning. It provides better control of the reduction depth of the labial and incisal preparation, making the operation simpler. Clinical significance: The digital dental esthetic ceramic veneer treatment workflow described here using a stereolithographic template for teeth preparation helped with the accurate control of reduction depth for minimally invasive teeth preparation, making the operation simpler, which is a significant improvement over the previous methods.