The Science of Communicating the Art of Esthetic Dentistry. Part I: Patient‐Dentist‐Patient Communication

Many contemporary restorative procedures are primarily esthetically driven, and patients have high expectations. It is imperative for the restorative dentist to understand patients' desires and expectations prior to initiating irreversible therapy. It is equally important for patients to understand the anatomic and technical limitations inherent with restorative therapy. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE This article describes several relatively straightforward techniques that can assist in dentist‐patient‐dentist communication and allow the patient to visualize a reasonable facsimile of the definitive result prior to initiation of irreversible therapy. By using these techniques where indicated, the frustrating cycle of rejection and failure may be avoided.