Palatal Shelf Technique on #8 MIFL

Introduction to the case

Pipe to the face chipped the MIFL composite on #8. The most predictable way to do these for me is to use the “palatal shelf” technique with the shelf being made of a super thin layer of enamel shade composite, then a dentin shade composite to replace all the dentin, and then the last .5 mm being enamel shade again.

To create the palatal shelf, a matrix is needed and there are 3 methods to get it:

  1. Do a preop waxup and create a putty on the model (most ideal)
  2. Do an intraoral mockup very quickly and then create the putty in the mouth
  3. Finally, what I usually do just for the sake of time is I’ll make the putty with no mockup and then use a bur to create the “negative impression” to where the tooth should be (BRB technique). This is obviously easier when there’s not a lot of tooth missing.