A recent new patient consultation this week has inspired me to write this blog entry... Sometimes I hear this question during my discussions with the patients. In reality, as a patient you should not have to worry about the "name" or "type" of porcelain. In fact, it is always the "technique" employed by the dentist that makes a difference in the outcome of a case.

In the photo below, three front teeth are marked with arrows. They look different from the rest of the restorations because our eyes can see dark areas on the teeth. In particular, the patient was most bothered by the tooth on the far right of the screen. This lateral incisor had an extremely dark tooth structure build-up underneath. When the same "type" of porcelain is used in a series of teeth, color differences of the underlying tooth structure will affect how the final restorations look.

In this case, proper technique can be used to mask out the dark underlying tooth structure in order to allow better color blend. This "technique" is a coordination between the dentist and the ceramist, and it is not a choice that the patient would have to make.

In order for your restorations to look natural, a number of factors must come into play. Those factors are not limited to just ... the porcelain.

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Alex Nguyen, DDS is a Saratoga Dentist who practices General Dentistry, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry. For over 20 years the practice has been serving the residents of Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bay Area.