The age of “Whole Face Aesthetics”
What’s the difference between a regular dentist and an aesthetic dentist? Can both treat a patient for the same dental concerns?
We take a look at the specialised role an aesthetic dentist play in helping people to not only look better, but feel better as well.
What does an aesthetic dentist do?
While general dentistry focuses on oral hygiene and preventing, diagnosing and treating oral disease, aesthetic or cosmetic dentistry is a dental specialty that focuses on improving the appearance of a person’s teeth, mouth and smile.
That said, in Malaysia, it is common to have dentists that do most procedures that are considered “cosmetic.” But there are times when it will be worthwhile to seek out someone whose practice is more focused on or dedicated to those types of procedures. Depending on what is needed, a patient might need to search for a general dentist, cosmetic dentist, or even a prosthodontist (dental specialist focusing on the restoration and replacement of damaged, broken, or decayed teeth).
In conclusion, it is on a case to case basis, and it is dependent on individual dental concerns. Start with your general dentist and ask him/her for professional advice.
What procedures fall under aesthetic dentistry?
Procedures done with the goal of beautifying teeth, and ultimately, a person’s definition of “the perfect” smile, is the domain of an aesthetic dentist. One of the most popular smile-makeover procedures offered is veneers which are hard, thin shells of tooth-coloured material (porcelain or composite) that can mask a variety of dental imperfections.
Some patients seek out aesthetic dentists for clear orthodontic aligners to straighten teeth. For some cases, a crown and implant is required to restore shape, function, and colour of a tooth/set of teeth.
Why do people seek out to have a smile makeover?
Cosmetic or aesthetic dentistry is gaining prominence because it helps people to feel better about themselves by offering an instant boost to their sense of well-being, social acceptance, success at work, in relationships and self-confidence. For a person who has been embarrassed to express themselves fully because of a crooked smile and/or bad teeth, the transformation of their smile can be life-changing and that adds quality to their life.
What does the smile design process entail?
The smile design process is a technical series of procedures. The dentist is responsible to prepare a personalised treatment protocol that best suits the patient’s dental condition. The treatment protocol should take into account the overall facial structure which include facial appearance, skin, eyes, as well as the colour, width, length and shape of teeth, gum tissue and lips. The historical records of the patient, current teeth and gum condition, budget and lifestyle are important elements as well.
Some of the aesthetics and restorative works may include tooth-coloured composite restorations, whitening to improve the colour of stained or dulled teeth and straightening and aligning of crooked, overlapping or gaps between teeth via orthodontics measures. Missing teeth are replaced by dental implants, bridges or partial dentures. Uneven, chipped and cracked teeth can be cosmetically bonded for an improved appearance, and a “gummy” smile can be re-contoured to help improve the overall look of the smile.
What happens after the initial consultation process?
After discussing and understanding the patient’s concerns and expectations, the smile-makeover process starts and a dentist will prepare a few sets of images that show the possible outcome after the recommended treatment(s). Once the patient accept the treatment options, the smile-makeover process on their teeth will begin. Depending on complexity, a smile-makeover can take anytime from a few sessions for veneers to a few years with orthodontic procedures.
Can positive changes to a smile be made without such extensive work?
Many people find a new sense of confidence simply by having stains removed from their teeth via simple scaling, polishing and whitening procedure. A good dentist will work hand-in-hand with a patient to decide the best treatment options. This may be as simple as changing old stained/discoloured fillings to new ones which match a patient’s teeth, so that a smile appears more natural.
In addition to the colour, alignment and balance of the teeth in the aesthetic zone of a patient’s smile (the section of upper and lower teeth that show when a person smiles), there are several attributes of a patient’s teeth and smile that an aesthetic dentist will evaluate when planning a smile makeover. These include the length of the teeth (full length teeth make people look younger rather than shortened teeth), the smile line (an imaginary line that follows the edges of your upper teeth from side to side, which ideally should be the same as the curve of your lower lip when someone smiles), and tooth proportions.
Finally, what’s the big deal about the ‘perfect smile’?
Smiling is a huge part of how we as humans communicate with one another. Laughing at a joke and smiling to show happiness are essential parts of life, and self-confidence should never hold someone back from pulling a grin. Aesthetic dentists can help to create a unique smile that is pleasing to the patient. This can help to boost a patient’s self-esteem, hence affecting how others perceive the patient. A healthy-looking smile and good oral hygiene should always go hand in hand, and it is through the help of the aesthetic dentist that these patients are able reach their best selves.
DISCLAIMER:
The information above should be used as a reference only. Any medical decision should not be taken before consulting a health care professional.
The masculine gender may have been more used in the article, but without prejudice, to make reading easier.
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