Managing Spacing Across the Entire Upper Arch: Minimally Invasive and Cost-Effective Approaches

This case presents a patient who initially sought orthodontic treatment but was referred to address potential porcelain restorations. With significant spacing and uncertainty about the extent of dental work required, the focus shifted to setting up the case for success. Despite the patient's initial expectation of only needing a couple of restorations, it became apparent that more extensive treatment might be necessary. Through discussion, it was revealed that the patient's primary goal was improvement without aiming for perfection or extensive dental work. The case analysis involved evaluating the patient's dental-facial esthetics and identifying discrepancies in tooth size and spacing. With ongoing orthodontic treatment, there was an opportunity to guide the final outcome strategically. Various methods of planning and communicating the treatment plan were discussed, including digital smile design software, and injection molding as transitional restorations. The emphasis was on achieving a balanced, esthetically pleasing result while minimizing invasiveness and cost. Ultimately, the consensus leaned towards utilizing injection molding as an efficient and economical approach to address the patient's concerns.