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Australasian Dentist September-October 2025

If you’re a clinician striving to elevate your aesthetic outcomes or seeking a deeper understanding of the collaborative workflow between technician and dentist, this might interest you. Earlier in 2025, we shared a before-and-after case on the Smile Virtuoso blog that generated a great deal of interest —“The Zirconia Renaissance – Unlocking the Aesthetic Potential with Strength”. It documented not just the technical execution of a multi-unit aesthetic rehabilitation, but also the communication protocols and layered material strategies that helped exceed the patient’s expectations. This 5-page article has been accepted and published in the September–October issue of Australasian Dentist, a well-established clinical journal distributed throughout Australia and the Pacific region. The published version includes detailed case photography, functional insights, and a full...

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Smile Design 2.0: Merging Elite Tech with Clinical Artistry – making invisible visible, one smile at a time

Labline Magazine featured Yugo's article for the 'ACADEMY' section in Winter 2025 (originally published in English and Hungarian).   Smile design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about trust, communication, and predictability. Patients today arrive with higher expectations than ever before. Digital tools have made cosmetic dentistry more accessible, but they’ve also created a new challenge: how do we ensure clarity when clinicians, technicians, and patients all need to be aligned on the same vision? That’s where a structured approach to smile design becomes essential. When patients can see and understand each stage—initial consultation, temporary restorations, and the final review—the result is more than a beautiful smile: it’s confidence, reassurance, and shared decision-making. In my latest feature for Labline Magazine (Autumn 2025), I explore how a technician-led...

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Before and After 2024: The Zirconia Renaissance – Unlocking the Aesthetic Potential with Strength

In the ever-evolving world of metal-free aesthetic dentistry, material selection remains one of the most powerful—yet often under-examined—decisions we make as clinicians and ceramists. Since the inception of my inaugural business in 2008, Smile by Yugo, I’ve witnessed—and contributed to—a profound transformation in the materials we rely on to craft beauty and function alike. Over the years, we’ve transitioned from traditional feldspathic and refractory layering veneer techniques to pressed glass ceramics (e.g., Empress, Ivoclar Vivadent), exploring the potential of staining techniques in monolithic structures, then upgraded to lithium disilicate (e.g., e.max, Ivoclar Vivadent), and now, increasingly, toward the modern versatility of zirconia. That said, without ongoing engagement in continuing education, hands-on experimentation, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, it’s easy to default to familiar...

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Before and After 2023: Refining the Fine – Subtle Aesthetic Enhancements with Major Impact

At first glance, Sherelle’s pre-operative condition (the image on the left) appears almost flawless. Her smile is bright, symmetrical, and generally well-aligned—qualities many patients would already consider ideal. And yet, as with many high-performing professionals in the dental field, even minor imperfections can weigh heavily on one’s confidence. Sherelle is no ordinary patient. As the receptionist at Smile Doctor Mona Vale—one of the most respected dental practices in Sydney’s Northern Beaches—she plays a crucial role in patient communication and care. In fact, she often uses her own journey as a live example to help patients understand what’s possible with thoughtful smile design. This case reminds us that aesthetic dentistry isn’t just about fixing the obvious—it’s about listening, understanding subtle dissatisfaction, and finding...

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Before and After 2015: Smile Makeover – Replacement of 2 Teeth on 1 Abutment with Pink Ceramics

A Caucasian female patient in her 20s was just about to get married and wanted to look the best. She was missing laterals with vampire-like fangs that bothered her. Because of the timeframe, orthodontic treatment was not an option.   Since the teeth are all vital, we need to be conservative in prep generally, but the aggressive prep is necessary where required. Boding strength is another element we must consider. Thus, we decided to go with lithium disilicate (e.max) restorations – veneers on the central incisors and first-premolars, with joint crowns to replace the laterals and canines off one abutment for each quadrant.   Fig 1 shows the pre-op condition. When working a case like this, the communication between the clinician and technician is...

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Before and After 2013: Smile Makeover – Implant Zirconia Bridge with Gum Porcelain

An Asian patient in her 40s was depressed about the aesthetics of her smile. She had several attempts to replace the restorations to achieve natural aesthetics, which she found difficult. She was looking for “a durable, functional and, most of all, a beautiful smile” in her words.   The treatment plan is to replace the existing restorations – 12-22 Screw-Retained Implant Bridge, and crowns on the canines - 13 and 23. To maintain the same property and material in the superstructure, we decided to use Zirconia with Ti interface abutment for the implant connections.   Fig 1 shows the pre-op condition. The aesthetical and functional issues we need to address are: correction of the midline cant achieving a sense of symmetry on the central...

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Reproducing Nature Part 4: Smile Design

LVI Visions featured Yugo’s article titled ‘Reproducing Nature: Smile Design in 2008 (published language: English).   Introduction:   Today, creating a natural-looking smile is essential in cosmetic/aesthetic dentistry. As I mentioned in the first part of this article (European Journal of Eesthetic Dentistry Winter 2008), many people think that white “Hollywood Smiles” look fake but is it true? Have you thought about bleached natural dentition? I think it looks healthy and attractive but doesn’t look fake at all. That is the type of benchmark I set for myself when the patient is after a perfect smile – i.e., bright yet natural.   Now, what is the definition of “perfect” anyway? Does it mean that it’s perfectly in proportion, perfectly adapted to the patient’s desire or could...

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Before and After 2012: Smile Makeover – Achieving Significant Change in Proportion with porcelain veneers

A Caucasian male patient in his 30s was deeply concerned about the aesthetics of his smile. There are several issues we had to address: most notably, changing the proportion and tooth size within the aesthetic zone, crown-lengthening/gum-contouring, and a replacement of a missing tooth on 14 (right first-premolar).   We selected a Zirconia bridge on 15-13, and lithium disilicate (e.max) veneers for the rest – 12-26 (missing 25), from the right second-premolar to the left first-molar, a total of 10 units.   I must admit that this case was one of the most challenging smile makeovers I had encountered at that time, but the result spoke for itself. The patient was “over the moon” with the outcome.   The key to achieving such a result was...

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