Dental Veneer Records by a Cosmetic Dentist Including Facebow Transfer

Dental veneers are one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures to enhance the appearance of the smile. They are thin shells of tooth-colored material that are bonded to the front surface of the teeth to correct various esthetic issues, such as discoloration, chipping, spacing, or misalignment. Dental veneers can be made of porcelain or composite resin, and they require careful planning and preparation to achieve optimal results¹ .

One of the key steps in the process of designing and fabricating dental veneers is generating dental veneer records. These records include digital or physical impressions of the teeth, photographs of the face and smile, and facebow transfer and registration. These records help the cosmetic dentist and the dental laboratory technician to create a customized smile design that matches the patient’s facial features, occlusal function, and personal preferences.

What is Facebow Transfer and Registration?

Facebow transfer and registration is a technique that allows the cosmetic dentist to record the spatial relationship between the maxillary arch and the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), and transfer this information to a virtual or physical articulator²³. An articulator is a device that simulates the movements of the mandible in relation to the maxilla, and it is used to mount and analyze the dental models.

Facebow transfer and registration is important for several reasons:

• It helps to orient the maxillary model in the same position as in the patient’s mouth, which facilitates the evaluation of occlusion, esthetics, and phonetics.
• It helps to reproduce the patient’s horizontal plane, which is an imaginary line that passes through both ears and the bridge of the nose. This plane is used as a reference for determining the inclination of the occlusal plane, which affects the appearance and function of the smile.
• It helps to avoid errors and discrepancies that may occur when using average values or arbitrary mounting methods, which may compromise the accuracy and quality of the final restorations.

How to Perform Facebow Transfer and Registration?

There are different types of facebows and articulators available in the market, and each one may have specific instructions and components. However, the general procedure for facebow transfer and registration is as follows²³:

• The cosmetic dentist selects a facebow that is compatible with the articulator that will be used. A facebow is a metal device that consists of a crossbar, two earpieces, and a nasion relator or a bite fork.
• The patient is asked to hold the arms of the crossbar and the earpieces are inserted in the ears. Then the thumb screw is used to tighten and lock the width of the facebow. The front portion of the facebow is adjusted till the nasion relator touches the bridge of the nose and locked in place with the locking device.
• The cosmetic dentist takes an impression of the maxillary arch with a bite fork, which is a U-shaped metal or plastic device that holds impression material. The bite fork is attached to the facebow and inserted into the patient’s mouth. The patient is asked to bite gently on the bite fork until the impression material sets.
• The cosmetic dentist removes the facebow with the bite fork from the patient’s mouth and attaches it to the upper member of the articulator. The articulator is adjusted to match the settings of the facebow, such as condylar inclination, Bennett angle, intercondylar distance, etc.
• The cosmetic dentist takes an impression of the mandibular arch and a centric relation record, which is a record of the position of the mandible when it is in its most stable and retruded position. The centric relation record can be made with wax, silicone, or other materials.
• The cosmetic dentist mounts the mandibular model on the lower member of the articulator by using the centric relation record as a guide. The articulator is closed and checked for proper occlusion and alignment of the models.
• The cosmetic dentist verifies the accuracy and stability of the mounted models and makes any necessary adjustments or corrections. The facebow transfer and registration is now complete and ready for further analysis and design.
• How to Use Facebow Transfer and Registration for Dental Veneers?

  Facebow transfer and registration is a valuable tool for planning and executing dental veneer cases. It allows the cosmetic dentist and the dental laboratory technician to:

  • Perform a comprehensive occlusal analysis and identify any functional problems or interferences that may affect the longevity and comfort of the veneers.
  • Create a digital or physical wax-up of the proposed smile design and evaluate it in relation to the patient’s facial features, lip position, smile line, etc.
  • Communicate effectively and efficiently about the desired esthetic outcome and technical specifications of the veneers, such as shade, shape, size, texture, etc.
  • Fabricate precise and customized veneers that fit accurately and harmoniously with the patient’s natural dentition and facial anatomy.

  Conclusion

  Facebow transfer and registration is a technique that helps to generate accurate and reliable dental veneer records. It involves recording and transferring the spatial relationship between the maxillary arch and the TMJs to a virtual or physical articulator. This allows for a realistic simulation of the mandibular movements and a proper evaluation of occlusion, esthetics, and phonetics. Facebow transfer and registration can improve the quality and outcome of dental veneer cases by facilitating communication, diagnosis, treatment planning, design, and fabrication.

  References

  : Digital face-bow transfer technique using the dentofacial analyzer for dental esthetics and 2-D, 3-D smile design: A clinical report. https://www.dtscience.com/digital-face-bow-transfer-technique-using-the-dentofacial-analyzer-for-dental-esthetics-and-2-d-3-d-smile-design-a-clinical-report

  : A comparison of virtually mounted dental casts from traditional facebow records, average values, and 3D facial scans. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022391322001469

  : Dental Veneers: Benefits, Procedure, Costs, and Results. https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-veneers

  : Dental Veneers: Porcelain Veneer Uses, Procedure, and More. https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/veneers

  : What is facebow transfer and registration? https://dentagama.com/news/what-is-facebow-transfer-and-registration