Managing Esthetic Discrepancy Between Vital and Nonvital Central Incisors Using a Fiber-Reinforced Composite Post-Core and Lithium Disilicate Restorations: A Case Report
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Achieving esthetic harmony between vital and endodontically treated maxillary central incisors remains a challenge due to substrate heterogeneity and optical discrepancies.A 32-year-old woman with a history of childhood trauma presented with dissatisfaction with her smile due to discrepancies in shade, shape, and translucency between the maxillary central incisors.Tooth 11 was vital with an existing defective resin composite restoration, whereas tooth 21 was endodontically treated, with a provisional crown and substantial loss of coronal tooth structure.This clinical report presents an individualized digital workflow combining a customized computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) fiberreinforced composite post-core with high-translucency lithium disilicate (E-max) restorations.A pattern for the post and core of the nonvital incisor was fabricated intraorally using pattern resin and then digitally scanned to fabricate the definitive post-core, which was intended to provide retention and support for the definitive crown and a tooth-colored foundation.For the vital central incisor, minimally invasive veneer preparation was performed using a guided, controlled preparation technique, preserving as much enamel as possible.The approach demonstrates the versatility of lithium disilicate restorations in managing complex substrate interactions, allowing satisfactory masking and optical integration, as assessed visually.This case illustrates a substrate-oriented approach to anterior esthetic rehabilitation that warrants validation in further cases with longer follow-up.
Source: Cureus
Institution: University of Monastir
Language: English
Subfield: General Dentistry
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7225451617