Masking severely tetracycline-stained teeth with ceramic laminate veneers

When the primary restorative objective is the reinstatement of vital natural tooth color, dark tetracycline-stained teeth still represent the ultimate challenge for ceramic laminate veneers. Masking severe stain with opaquing composite resins is a significant advancement; however, the procedure requires additional chairtime, is technique sensitive (to avoid excessive opacity), and involves removal of additional tooth structure. The learning objective of this article is to describe and compare two different methods for masking tetracycline-stained teeth. The article illustrates the natural tooth color derived from ceramic laminate veneers when bonded to opaque composite resins in the maxillary arch, and compares it to a new ceramic veneer formulation in the mandibular arch, which masks the stain, eliminates the need for subopaquing with composite resins, and resembles the qualities of natural tooth color.