Harmony in the Esthetic Zone: Partial Veneer Meets Screw-Retained Implant

A clinical case by our Community member Dr. Basem Elias

This article and its content are published under the Author’s responsibility as an expression of the Author’s own ideas and practice. Styleitaliano denies any responsibility about the visual and written content of this work.

Restoring teeth in the esthetic zone is one of the most demanding challenges in restorative dentistry, requiring a precise balance of biological, functional, and esthetic considerations. The integration of digital and conventional workflows has significantly improved diagnostic accuracy, treatment planning, and clinical execution, enhancing both predictability and overall treatment outcomes.
In the present case, a combined approach using a screw-retained implant crown and a minimally invasive lithium disilicate partial veneer was implemented to reestablish symmetry, structural integrity, and natural esthetics. This strategy preserved maximum enamel, optimized adhesion, and provided a durable and highly esthetic result tailored to the patient’s specific needs.

Initial situation

Fig.1

A 28-year-old female patient (a dentist) presented to the clinic with a chief complaint of restoring her two upper central incisors. She had lost tooth #11 four months earlier due to an accident. At that time, the surgeon extracted the fractured root and placed an implant with good primary stability, giving the green light for immediate temporization.
A freehand composite provisional crown was fabricated directly over the temporary abutment, fixed, and torqued according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. The temporary crown was designed to be out of occlusion and functional movements.

Clinical examination

Fig.2
Clinical examination revealed a tilted midline axis and an old Class IV composite restoration on tooth #21. To correct the midline discrepancy and achieve symmetrical spacing between the two central incisors, replacement of the existing restoration was planned.
The available restorative options included:

    1. Direct composite restoration
    2. Indirect ceramic veneer
    3. Indirect partial ceramic veneer

The patient requested a treatment that would ensure both longevity and minimal invasiveness. Therefore, we agreed on option three: the indirect partial ceramic veneer.

Shade selection

Fig.3
Shade selection was performed using cross-polarized photography to ensure accuracy. The value and enamel shade were determined from the incisal third, while the hue, chroma, and dentin shade were selected from the middle and cervical thirds.

styleitaliano style italiano courses 2025
styleitaliano style italiano courses 2025
Temporary removal

Fig.4
The procedure began with the removal of the implant temporary crown.

Implant gingival emergence profile

Fig.5
Implant gingival emergence profile.

Restoration removal

Fig.6
The old composite restoration was carefully removed using a fine bur under high magnification, assisted by fluorescence light for precise differentiation between composite and tooth structure. The surface was then smoothed with an ultra-fine polishing disk.
Step 1: Fabrication of the partial veneer and selection of the appropriate abutment. Intraoral scanning was performed for both the partial veneer preparation and the implant scan body.

Partial veneer

Fig.7
A lithium disilicate partial veneer was fabricated using a fully pressed MT ingot, shade B1. The restoration was polished but not glazed, as the margins required intraoral finishing and polishing after cementation.
My gratitude to the ceramist artist Mr. Noman Hamzeh, (Ideas Dental Lab, London / Muscat).

Isolation

Fig.8
Isolation.

Finishing and polishing

Fig.9
The partial veneer was bonded following a strict adhesive protocol to ensure optimal adhesion and marginal integrity. Finishing and polishing were then performed using a fine and ultra-fine ceramic polishing sequence, which included a white stone polisher, a two-step rubber cone system, and ceramic polishing paste for the final gloss.

Ceramic polishing paste in action

Fig.10
Ceramic polishing paste in action.

Margins

Fig.11
Multiple rounds of fine and ultra-fine ceramic polishing were performed to refine the margin.

Permanent implant crown

Fig.12
Step two: restoring the permanent implant crown.

Temporary crown

Fig.13
The temporary crown was utilized to replicate the implant’s gingival emergence profile.

Implant gingival emergence profile

Fig.14
Coping the implant gingival emergence profile using putty, open-try impression coping & resin pattern.

Implant gingival emergence profile

Fig.15
Ready.

Screw-retained implant crown

Fig.16
Confirming the fit with IOPA, a dynamic abutment system to be used to achieve a screw-retained implant crown, optimizing both esthetics and retrievability.

Impression

Fig.17
The impression.

Delivery day

Fig.18
A dynamic abutment system was used to achieve a screw-retained implant crown, optimizing both esthetics and retrievability.
Shot on the delivery day.

Shade matching

Fig.19
Shade matching under cross-polarization filter.

One week follow-up

Fig.20
One week follow-up.

Final result

Fig.21
Final situation.

Conclusions

This case demonstrates a minimally invasive and highly esthetic approach to anterior teeth restorations through the integration of digital workflow, conventional techniques, and adhesive dentistry. By utilizing a lithium disilicate partial veneer, preserving as much enamel as possible, the restoration was fully bonded to enamel, ensuring strength and longevity. Alongside a screw-retained implant crown supported by a dynamic abutment system, both functional esthetic and retrievability were achieved. Careful planning, precise bonding, and meticulous polishing protocols resulted in a seamless integration with the surrounding dentition and soft tissues. The patient expressed high satisfaction with the final outcome in terms of color, form, and overall smile appearance.

Bibliography

  1. Influence of enamel preservation on failure rates of porcelain laminate veneers – Galip Gurel , Newton Sesma, Marcelo A Calamita, Christian Coachman, Susana Morimoto PMID: 23342345 DOI: 10.11607/prd.1488.
  2. Shear bond strength of ceramic laminate veneers to finishing surfaces with different percentages of preserved enamel under a digital guided method – Jiakang Zhu , Jing Gao, Luming Jia, Xin Tan , Chenyang Xie, Haiyang Yu PMID: 34996438   PMCID: PMC8742459  DOI: 10.1186/s12903-021-02038-5.
  3. Markus B. Blatz DMD, PhD Et la. Clinical in-situ evaluation of the effect of rubber dam isolation on bond strength to enamel, doi.org/10.1111/jerd.12979 Riccardo Fabian Fonzar, Cecilia Goracci, Michele Carrabba, Chris Louca, Marco Ferrari, Alessandro Vichi PMID: 32322838   DOI: 10.3290/j.jad.a44282.
  4. Pascal Magne / Urs C. Belser. Biomimetic Restorative Dentistry, 2nd Edition 2022, Quintessence Publishing.
  5. Laminate Veneers : 20 Recipes for Smile Design, Dr. Stefen Koubi , 1st Edition 2019. Quintessence Publishing.
styleitaliano style italiano courses 2025
styleitaliano style italiano courses 2025

RELATED CASES