Optimizing Esthetic Restorations

Using Tokuyama Dental’s OMNICHROMA and OMNICHROMA BLOCKER, this case showcases how effortless shade matching and incisal translucency can be achieved.

By Chris Nelson, DDS On Jun 14, 2025

Achieving a seamless, esthetic anterior restoration presents a unique challenge, particularly when dealing with stained and worn incisal edges. Even so, if performed well, anesthetic-free restorations are a practice booster. In this case, a patient presented with extensive staining and fracture lines on teeth #8 and #9. The goal was to restore natural esthetics without any anesthetic, while maintaining translucency at the incisal edges. In a matter of minutes, while using some slight enamel preparation, air abrasion, and OMNICHROMA composites, combined with the OMNICHROMA BLOCKER, a beautiful balance of strength, esthetics, and shade adaptability was achieved!

Case Presentation

A middle-aged patient presented at our private practice: Nelson Family Dental in Redding, California. After a comprehensive exam and consultation, the patient decided to move forward with improving the esthetics of his maxillary central incisors, which exhibited visible staining, fracture lines, and incisal wear (Figure 1). The discoloration extended deep into the enamel, making shade matching a critical component of the restorative process. The opposing teeth and occlusion allowed for conservative composite bonding. Traditional composites often struggle to achieve uniform blending in cases with significant chromatic variation; this led to the selection of OMNICHROMA products for their superior shade-matching capabilities.

The restorative process began with careful preparation and cleaning of the affected surfaces, and removing deep staining in the central fracture lines and chipped incisal edges. Proper isolation was achieved. A microetcher was used to finalize the preparation before etching, bonding, and curing. In this particular case, teflon tape was used to maintain an open-contact between the central incisors.

Step 1. Block out staining. OMNICHROMA BLOCKER was first applied to mask underlying discoloration while maintaining a natural foundation for the final layers. This step was crucial in ensuring the final restoration did not appear overly translucent or gray. The deeply stained midtooth fracture on #9 was treated with mostly BLOCKER and, if inspected closely, the photograph shows a brighter vertical line of composite that should normalize as the patient wears the composite over time.

Step 2. Bulk application of OMNICHROMA. Once the BLOCKER was in place, OMNICHROMA was layered. The material’s Smart Chromatic Technology allowed it to seamlessly blend with the surrounding tooth structure without having to fuss with different shade composites.

Step 3. Feather the incisal edge. To replicate the natural translucency of adjacent teeth, the incisal edge was carefully feathered using OMNICHROMA Flow, from the lingual surface of the tooth. This technique preserved the light-diffusing properties of natural enamel, ensuring a harmonious blend.

Step 4. Finish and polish. After curing each layer, the restoration was contoured and polished to a high-gloss finish, mimicking the luster of the natural dentition. Some light characterizing of the incisal edges and polishing finished the case nicely (Figure 2).

Case Outcome and Conclusion

The final restoration successfully eliminated visible stains and fracture lines while seamlessly blending with adjacent teeth. The composites have made this esthetic procedure predictable! In a busy family practice, the confidence provided by predictable procedures is incredibly important. Additionally, two similar clinical examples — including a case of a broken veneer and a case of how to hide a screw-access hole on a monolithic zirconia implant crown — can be seen by scanning the QR codes. The OMNICHROMA family of composites has become a staple in my practice.