800-854-7256 USA

Website Accessibility Assistance | Implant Library
New Customer
Sign Out
Solutions
Education
Company
Send Case
Solutions
Solutions
Education
Education
Company
Company
Send Case
Send Case
New Customer
Sign Out
Support
800-854-7256 USA Email us

An Anthropologist’s Oral History

June 20, 2025
Authors
image
Taylor Manalili, DDS
image
Justin Chi, DDS, CDT

As a Postdoctoral Fellow at an Ivy League university, Lindsay has the opportunity to travel, conducting research in remote corners of the planet. While these excursions require careful planning, she should not have to plan for dental restoration failure on a trek to the Amazon. Unfortunately, that was just the scenario Lindsay experienced when her resin-bonded bridge de-bonded while she was in the rainforest.

Lindsay was greatly dissatisfied with her prior experiences with replacement for her congenitally missing laterals. She came to Drs. Taylor Manalili and Justin Chi in search of a solution that would provide reliable function and natural esthetics. After deciding against implants due to space limitations, the agreed-upon treatment plan was a combination of BruxZir® Esthetic bridges for teeth #6–8 and #9–11 and BruxZir Esthetic veneers on teeth #4, #5, #12 and #13. In preparation for the restorations, she was referred for orthodontic treatment to optimally position her teeth for the planned restorations.

CASE REPORT

Figures 1a–1c: Lindsay’s anterior tooth position after orthodontic treatment.

Figures 2a–2c: After preparation of a diagnostic wax-up, a putty matrix was fabricated. This matrix was used to create a mock-up that was used to verify function, speech and esthetics.

Figures 3a, 3b: The abutment teeth were prepared for the material of choice, which was BruxZir Esthetic for its durability and lifelike appearance. An incisal edge reduction of 1–1.5 mm was performed, with approximately 0.5 mm of reduction at the margin. Undercuts were eliminated, and rounded internal line angles were established. The preparations were aligned to ensure similar paths of insertion for all teeth, facilitating proper seating of the final restorations.

Figures 4a, 4b: Intraoral scans were taken using the fastscan.io™ Scanning Solution featuring Medit® i700®.

Figure 5: The approved mockup design was scanned, and the data was transferred to the chairside fastdesign.io™ Software and Design Station. BioTemps® NOW Milling Blocks were milled in the operatory using the fastmill.io™ In-Office Mill, resulting in two 3-unit provisional bridges in the anterior and 4 provisional veneers for the premolars. Because the patient approved the design of these provisionals, the design was finalized and sent to the lab for fabrication.

Figure 6: Digital technology made it possible to send the approved designs and have the lab fabricate the BruxZir Esthetic bridges and veneers.

Figures 7a–7c: The BruxZir Esthetic units were cemented with NX3 Nexus™ Third Generation (Kerr Corporation; Brea, Calif.), a light-cured esthetic resin cement. This transformed the patient’s smile while matching her natural teeth.

Figure 8: The patient was thrilled with the final result.

CONCLUSION

Although Lindsay struggled with failed dental solutions for many years, her new smile was worth the wait. Her confidence soared, and she no longer felt apprehensive about embarking on her adventures around the world. Not only was her new smile ready in time for her next trip, she also was able to showcase it for her wedding, which took place just three months later.