It Should Never Be All or Nothing: Excellence in Esthetic Composite Placement

Excellence in esthetic composite placement is an important skill for dentists to develop.

During the years that I have been lecturing, composite artistry has become a prime focus of dentistry. The belief that placing composite restorations is somehow a less-than-ideal treatment is evident in an audience’s eye rolls or smirks. Some participants want to know how realistic this approach is in actual practice or ask if a similar or better result could be more easily accomplished with porcelain.

I want to be clear that this is not a debate about which is the better restorative material; both are strong, esthetic, excellent materials, and each can be used to alter tooth shape and color. They are both viable options for patients who are seeking quality restorative work. So, what is this about? The vast majority of practices in America—including mine—need to be able to work with both composite and porcelain. As clinicians, we should be able to confidently offer both options to our patients.