Simple anteriors This is the second in the series of articles that discusses what your laboratory needs to know to produce the best-case outcomes for your clients. As I noted previously, the information that is considered essential to produce a case will vary from lab to lab, and may be dependent on the type of relationship you and your team have established.

The following are my suggestions to facilitate effective communication and predictable outcomes. As always, the first step is to complete the prescription form in a comprehensive manner. The following is the "basic" information that should be included with each case:

1. Impression/cast of preoperative condition

2. Impression/cast of the opposing arch with distortion free and detailed occlusal surfaces

3. Impression of the prepared teeth:

  • Use a firm tray, which will not distort, i.e. Master Tray-Teledyne
  • Inject syringe material on prepared teeth, adjacent teeth and the occlusals of all posterior teeth after they are thoroughly dried
  • Use an adequate amount of material to flow onto the soft tissue
  • The impression should be distortion free
  • A clearly defined preparation finish line, with tooth structure impressed apical to the finish line
  • No pulls of drags of impression material on the posterior teeth

4. Bite registration of prepared teeth only

5. Facebow or esthetic plane transfer (horizontal) of preparations or provisional restorations

6. Requested shade for the restorations

7. Shade of prepared tooth/teeth

Sending the following items is strongly recommended to increase the predictability of the esthetic outcome in anterior cases:

1. Photograph of the requested shade tab next to the natural teeth

2. Photograph of the the prepared teeth with the shade tab in view

3. "Go by" information. For example:

  • A cast of patient approved provisional restorations which have the requested length, labial position and embrasure form
  • Photograph with directed changes diagramed or with written instruction

4. Facebow transfer (horizontal) of provisional restorations Hopefully following this checklist will help your technical team to produce a restoration with appropriate fit, form, function and esthetics.  


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