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Far too many dentists treat composite resin as an option to offer when a patient says they can’t afford porcelain. And while it may help ease the patient’s concern in the moment, framing composite resin as “the budget option” may be costing you cases (and selling your skills short!)
When used by a capable dental professional, resin lets you phase treatment while protecting the tooth structure. It’s also a precision instrument that helps you do the least amount of dentistry while delivering on aesthetics and function.
Peter Dawson’s WIDIOM rule – Would I Do It On Me? – helps dentists reframe the resin conversation from “What’s the cheapest option?” to “What would I want in my mouth? In a loved one’s?”
The answer is often the most conservative option – one that restores function and looks natural.
In a recent Dawson Academy webinar, Dr. Angie Gribble Hedlund spoke about the specifics of composite resin in aesthetic dentistry, with a focus on where resin fits within a complete-care practice.
According to Dr. Gribble Hedlund, there are four specific situations where opting for composite resin could be the right call rather than simply a “fallback” decision:
Composite resin may be a great choice for patients who arrive with broken front teeth due to trauma. The speed and functionality work well when a patient wants to walk out the door with their smile looking whole, without a prepped crown,
Many teens with peg laterals or worn canines may benefit from composite resin, particularly when the goal is to add structure to the teeth rather than grind them down.
Many simply don’t want their teeth prepped for veneers. For these individuals, composite resin does the job well, including those with spaces left by a Bolton discrepancy.
If you’re working with more complex cases, composite resin is good for building up worn posterior teeth – especially good for helping avoid sticker shock when considering placing porcelain crowns.
It’s that fourth category where many are surprised to find composite resin the effective choice. Dr. Gribble Hedlund states in the webinar that 70-75% of her full-arch cases are treated by opening the bite slightly and repairing or replacing by quadrant over a period of time.
In the webinar, Dr. Gribble Hedlund showed the results of a survey of dentists, with many marking Class IV composites as the hardest thing they do. It’s also a key technique required for AACD accreditation.
To help ease the process, Dr. Gribble Hedlund walked through a five-step process that makes the technique repeatable:
To help give the process some real-world color, Dr. Gribble Hedlund talked through the experience of “Jeff,” a patient who came in with a dark “golden tooth” that other dentists had quoted as a porcelain crown or veneer.
The cost made Jeff defer the treatment – until a complete Dawson exam revealed the true diagnosis:
With that in mind, the plan sequenced the problem in a way that led to a long-term solution:
Only after these steps were complete was a single-bonded veneer implemented. Best of all, the veneer only required 0.3 mm of reduction, since the whitening had done much of the work already. A complementary pink opaquer was then used to block the dark substructure and lift the value.
The lesson from Jeff’s experience? The resin technique is only as good as the diagnosis that goes before it. And that proper diagnosis required a complete Dawson exam.
Dr. Gribble Hedlund also explained that while closing dark triangles with injection molding is having a moment, it’s only one tool in the arsenal – not the tool. It can be an inexpensive entry point, but it takes hand-layered artistry to go from concept to a genuine final result.
Dr. Gribble Hedlund offered her pearls of wisdom to prevent most injection-molding problems:
Dr. Gribble Hedlund’s webinar covered a lot of ground when working with patients who need restoration, but the most important lesson was one on trust.
Offering both options – porcelain and a composite resin alternative – gives patients a sense of autonomy in their decision, and can help reduce the number of walk-outs from sticker shock.
Those who come in for a single aesthetic fix and find a skilled and trusting dental professional at their chair are far more likely to come back for more restorative and hygiene care. They’re also the ones who refer their friends and family to your practice.
Treat them well with good resin skills, and you’ll build a practice that patients trust with one of their most valuable attributes – their smile.
Want to learn more? Dr. Gribble Hedlund’s webinar only touched the surface of what is covered in Mastering Composite Resin for Esthetic Excellence – a hands-on Dawson Academy course that covers the key techniques and trust-building skills that complete dentistry requires.
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Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at ADA.org/CERP.
