A systematic approach to recreate a patient's former smile.

In this case involving a 29-year-old woman with a history of stomach-acid-related reflux and extensive loss of tooth structure, the patient desired to regain the smile she "used to have." The treatment goals throughout the process were to manage risk, use minimally invasive procedures, and improve the prognosis in each of the four dental categories-periodontal, biomechanical, functional, and dentofacial. The treatment plan utilized a systematic approach to sequentially restore and protect the young woman's dentition. It included esthetic crown lengthening, establishing the ideal esthetic position of maxillary anterior and posterior teeth, addressing the mandibular plane of occlusion, and achieving optimal function.