Practice Intentional Dentistry
Stephanie Vondrak, DDS, on Tokuyama’s OMNICHROMA® products
As a wellness-centered dentist, I love the combination of science and art. The ability to restore lost tooth structure while simultaneously providing beautiful esthetics that boost peoples' confidence in their appearances is essential to achieving the best outcomes. I believe that my role is to provide opportunities for like-minded individuals to eliminate dental disease and improve their overall health. The more knowledgeable that we are as dentists regarding what is available and what is possible, the more that we have to offer our patients. I call my way of practicing with a passion for detail and wellness "intentional dentistry." So, how does it work?
Tisha, a 38-year-old female patient, was referred to the practice by her concerned co-worker. Tisha's journey began with a comprehensive exam, a full-mouth series of radiographs, and intraoral photographs. I listened to Tisha with intention and spent time making sure that I understood her treatment goals and expectations, then I created a written review of my findings. The wellness plan that Tisha accepted included eight posterior composite restorations, one crown, and orthodontic treatment to close the large diastema between her two maxillary central incisors.
Next, comes the part where science plus art equals dentistry. For the composite restorations, I used OMNICHROMA®, the innovative single-shade universal composite from Tokuyama Dental that can match any of the VITA classical tooth shades from A1 to D4. With OMNICHROMA, I consistently see enhanced esthetic results, improved patient experiences, and reduced chair time and practice overhead. One quadrant at a time, I removed Tisha's decay and deteriorated fillings, which revealed darkly stained pulpal floors. Before restoring the teeth with OMNICHROMA, a thin layer of OMNICHROMA® BLOCKER was placed to mask the stains. Placing the blocker increased the value of her pulpal floors to match the surrounding unaffected dentin. Next, two thin layers of OMNICHROMA were layered to recreate the biologic forms of the teeth. OMNICHROMA and OMNICHROMA BLOCKER both provide easy handling and exceptional compressive strength. After finishing burs and polishing cups were used, Tisha's teeth looked healthy and beautiful—like they had never been filled.
Photographs were acquired so that Tisha could see the immediate results of choosing to prioritize her physical and mental well-being, and she expressed her satisfaction with the results. For the next phase of her treatment, orthodontics, both clear aligners and traditional braces were offered. With a smirk and a laugh, Tisha admitted that she might not be very good at wearing trays, so instead, she chose to have brackets and wires placed during her next visit.
I thanked Tisha for trusting me. I am excited for the opportunity to get to know her better as we straighten her teeth and close her diastema to further improve her smile. In the pursuit of wellness, we will make this journey together: science, art, Tisha, and I. And that, my friends, is intentional dentistry.
Stephanie Vondrak, DDS
Private Practice
Omaha, Nebraska
Key Takeaways
• Intentional dentistry involves putting patients' needs first and using the newest and most efficient material technology.
• By eliminating the burdensome shade-matching procedures required by traditional composite systems, appointments are quick and efficient, increasing profitability and improving patient experience.
• OMNICHROMA BLOCKER masks stained tooth structure, increasing the value of the tooth for enhanced esthetic results.
MANUFACTURER INFORMATION
Tokuyama Dental America
tokuyama-us.com
877-378-3548
