Increase in occlusal vertical dimension using preheated resins as long-term interim restorations: A clinical report

A decrease in the occlusal vertical dimension can negatively affect patients’ facial esthetics, chewing, phonetics, and social relationships. Traditional prosthetic treatment consists of determining the ideal vertical dimension of occlusion through objective and subjective methods, then a diagnostic waxing is made on this new position; followed by tooth preparations associated with interim restorations for occlusal stabilization; and, finally, removable partial denture or fixed definitive restorations. This case report presents a new method to reestablish and maintain the vertical dimension throughout a long-term interim restoration stage. It describes the results of direct bonded restorations with preheated compactable resins, applied to transparent silicone matrixes made from a diagnostic waxing. The main advantages of this procedure are that it is fast, reversible, and low cost. This manuscript shows a case report resolved by means of a defined clinical protocol for vertical dimension increase and evaluation, during the interim restoration stage. This procedure is performed using widely available materials as composite resins, modifying its viscosity and improving their mechanical properties by a preheating procedure and then applied to transparent silicone matrixes made from a diagnostic waxing. This protocol allows restorations that are easy to perform, accurate, reversible, low cost and repairable by any dentist. Although this technique has been previously described in the literature, this manuscript contributes to the current knowledge by describing a sound restorative protocol and informing the clinical properties of preheated composite resins.