Two are better than one: It’s a pop song, it’s in the Bible, and in cosmetic dentistry, it’s a universal truth with the simple layering technique. While a single shade may be used for a simple restoration, like a small chip or defect, multiple shades are needed for a complex restoration. It’s 2 shades—one for dentin and one for enamel—that help to establish the complexity of natural dentition.
How does this work, exactly? According to the experts at Ultradent, the composite a clinician chooses should offer opaque (dentin) shades that will naturally establish the hue and chroma of the restoration, as well as a selection of translucent (enamel) shades that determine the restoration’s value or overall brightness. It’s the fluorescence of the material that mimics that of natural dentition and enamel.
In a well-balanced nanohybrid composite, the chemical properties of the material intersect with physics. The material is smooth yet sculptable, durable yet highly polishable. These are the key properties of Ultradent’s Mosaic nanohybrid composite, which is designed to mimic tooth anatomy for a predictable and natural restoration.
Keeping in mind that the choice of multiple shades can be a challenge for complex restorations, Ultradent created 20 dentin and enamel shade options for predictable, lifelike results and an accurate shade guide that’s helpful to first-time users. They also created shade tabs made from 100% composite that provide a true representation of the cured final outcome.
Of course, in addition to knowing which shades to choose, you want to know how to get to the most esthetic final result. In the helpful Quick Layering Reference Guide, Ultradent shows how to create 4 common shade results—bleach, young, adult and senior. In each of these cases, at least 2 shades are used for a highly esthetic restoration. To see how it’s done, click the image below to download Ultradent's free layering guide.
