First, let me say it's taken a fair amount of pride swallowing to post this as I'm several years out of school but I keep running into the same issues time and time again. Any advice is good advice :)

I have been looking through the video collection for some answers to some anterior composite questions I have and haven't found much beyond composite veneers. I wondered if there are any tips or tricks that people have found to eliminate any of these three problems.

1) Flash line: How do I eliminate the look of excess resin / flash when I am hiding a facial margin with a bevel?

a) I will bevel the prep and after I place and cure the composite there is often still a distinct "line" that almost looks like excess composite/flash. Thoughts on the bevel angle and length? Maybe I'm too shallow?

b) Am I using a resin with too much filler and that's why its showing a line? I'm using Filltek supreme ultra (nanocomposite) and polishing down with Sof-Lex ultra thins red->yellow.

2) Form: On a higher aesthetic demand patient do most of you freehand a larger composite (class IV/MIFL/DIFL) or would a wax up and copyplast be appropriate?

a) I've found I have a tendency to overbuild the facial or end up with an embrasure that's too large. I can usually free hand correct it but I'm wasting a lot of chair time doing it.

3) Opacity: With larger composites I've found even if the shade is accurate there is a slight opacity difference in my composite from the natural tooth.

a) The composite I use is slightly more translucent leaving the composite looking darker than the surrounding tooth structure.

i) It doesn't show up in every light but indirect light (indoor fluorescent / refractive) light shows it well while direct (sunlight / reflective) light is negligible.

Thank you for your help and like I said I would appreciate any tips you have.

Best,

Kyle