Optimising aesthetics and facilitating clinical application of free-hand bonding using the 'natural layering concept'.

The use of composites in the smile frame has evolved and gained maturity. However, ceramics remain the preferred aesthetic option for many clinicians because bonding techniques are still considered intricate, sensitive and, to a certain extent, unpredictable. These drawbacks, essentially related to the complexity of many composite systems, can be overcome today by the application of the 'natural layering concept', which makes use of only two basics masses, dentine and enamel, perfectly mimicking natural tooth structure. There are plentiful indications for the use of such a simplified but aesthetically uncompromised treatment modality. Actually, this approach is highly suitable for young and post-orthodontic patients where conservation of tissue is a must and in general for all patients with rather healthy dentitions.