Seems like a simple concept, doesn't it? Do a nice porcelain veneer and close those ugly black triangles or diastemas?

Here's a quick tip that will result in more natural results and your ceramist will love you for it.

When closing a black triangle break the contact and carry the preparation through to the palatal line angles. The same applies for diastemas. Additionally, make sure that your margins are at least 1/2mm subgingival; 1mm is even better if you can do it.

Those two modifications to a veneer prep will give your ceramist the room needed to develop emergence profile and contact form so that the space is closed the way a tooth would do it –f rom the root up. A facial only prep results in poor contour and the high probability of a catch or food trap.

Read more dentistry articles by Dr. Steve Ratcliff.

Steve Ratcliff, D.D.S., M.S., Spear Faculty and Contributing Author


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