Cosmetic dentistry is defined as any dental procedure aimed at improving the appearance of teeth and gums. Some of the most common cosmetic dental procedures generally known to the public are teeth whitening, dental veneers, crowns, and orthodontic braces, or clear aligners.
One of the underlying visions of most dentists is to bestow upon their audience a wonderful set of fine, white teeth. and for those who have had extensive training in the field of cosmetic dentistry, the urge is even stronger.
Cosmetic dentists approach every dental procedure with the ultimate goal of creating a warm, natural smile for their patients. For example, the act of extracting a tooth is in itself not considered a cosmetic procedure, but anticipating alveolar or bone collapse and a future need for volume are second-nature understandings to the experienced dentist who practices cosmetics. Grafting the socket immediately after extraction, followed by proper suturing of the tissue, will ensure that the resilient cosmetic aspects of the gum are not compromised.
The hands-on knowledge of the dentist gives him or her the understanding required to take this simple step ahead of time. Then, when it’s time for the new tooth, the restorative dentist is capable of creating a much more beautiful tooth replacement, whether the new unit is an implant or a bridge.
Your dentist must understand the big picture and nuances, as they can only be understood by way of longtime experience. She or he must know that coloration will change with a root canal. knowing all those small things adds up to a powerful Cosmetic Dentistry Blueprint for Easy Success.
Smart Spending On Your Teeth- Chapter 5 Predictable Cosmetic Dentistry
Another example is a root canal procedure on a tooth. Typically after a root canal treatment, the remainder of the tooth and the root become discolored. But a cosmetic dentist instinctively takes into consideration the fact that the discoloration will take place and, in anticipation, automatically takes steps to ensure that this does not happen. The overview and the preparation for it in earlier dental procedures for whatever is being done to your teeth are always important with any of the parts of cosmetic dentistry: porcelain veneers, bonding, porcelain crowns, and orthodontics.
No matter what the final treatment plan from your dentist will be and what type of dental procedure will best serve you, a well-trained cosmetic and reconstructive dentist must start with a set of blueprints.
Modern dentistry is like building or remodeling a home. Unfortunately, this is the most commonly skipped part of all dental work by a great many dentists, and this lack of preplanning generally leads to a lot of guesswork and, in the end, just plain old praying that the cosmetic outcome of whatever service the patient is receiving will come out somewhat similar to whatever they are hoping for.
This widespread tendency for the majority of dentists, to be tooth mechanics, rather than operate as a skilled and comprehensive dental professional, springs from the tooth-by-tooth billing system that the insurance industry has blanketed dentistry with, which we discussed in future blogs.
If you are going to build new or remodel your current home, you would never begin without a set of blueprints. For any ordinary project, your architect will draw up a set of working blueprints; your contractor will give you a price for the work, and you will build or remodel. Those that practice their profession to the highest level and want to have pleased clients take an extra step and turn their 2D drawings into 3D CAD designs.
In the commercial building industry, this is a normal procedure. The building process has to meet many building codes and must be reviewed by a large team of people to ensure that the project is done correctly.
In dentistry, most doctors are engaged in their own solo private practice, and the tooth mechanic approach is generally in play unless they are highly trained in comprehensive dentistry. The patients are at the mercy of their dentists, and that is why I wrote the book, “Smart Spending On Your Teeth“‘ so patients can become more involved with their dental care.
All dentists have taken courses related to building and managing a dental practice; however, new dentists typically do not have experience when they set up their practice. They may have worked for another clinic, but often that employer-dentist comes from the old school and has never developed an understanding of the need for dental blueprints for patients. So when a new dentist begins practicing, and with day-by-day work becoming demanding, he or she never takes the time in developing a blueprint approach to comprehensive dentistry. No one ever really supervises what the dentists do, so the step of developing a plan is often skipped.
This blog prepares you for creating your own blueprint with your dentist so you can achieve predictable results.
If you are truly looking for exceptional cosmetic dentistry results, you must seek dentists who can see the importance of a holistic approach and who have reached the level of maturity to implement comprehensive dental care and planning into their work. It is your job as a patient to ask good questions and, make sure they are capable of integrating a blueprint into the picture before committing to any form of treatment. However, at DentistConsultationHub, we have made the process of finding these highly comprehensive dentists easy, and our internal dental team is able to assist you in finding the right dentist. Click here to get started.
Also, I cannot emphasize enough that at this point it is very important that each patient take a close, careful look at his or her dental budget and have an open discussion with their qualified dentists, revealing exactly what he or she truly can afford and what the dentist will provide for that cost.
Remember, choosing a master dentist is the key to a successful and predictable dental treatment. Our dentist team at DentistConsultationHub is here to help you find the best cosmetic dentist for veneers, crowns, All On 4 in Australia, Thailand, the USA, Canada, Singapore, Mexico, and the Phillippines.
With all this in mind, you can see why it is extremely important that you not shy away from discussing your budget. When you request a free consultation and a treatment quote on our website, we always ask patients for their budget. Responding honestly is important for the dentist to offer services that can match your request.
Some people are not comfortable disclosing what they truly can afford, either because they feel poor and are embarrassed to reveal their financials, or they are concerned that the dental group will take advantage of them in some way. If you are suffering from one of these positions, you must muster up some courage and drop it immediately. The dentist will not think poorly of you if your budget is low, as dentistry can be a significant investment for many people.
There are situations in which—for health or technical reasons—your treatment may have to be completed over a shorter period of time. However, when you are honest about your finances and your budget, a well-trained comprehensive dentist can design a long-term plan tailored to your current budget and yet provide the most ideal treatment in the most comprehensive fashion.
Once your dentist has a realistic budget to work with, the treatment plan can begin. Dentists will look at how they can work within cost constraints to provide care for their patients to the best of their ability and maximize the dental benefits.
I always recommend patients looking at a five-year plan and sort through what they can afford to pay for the most ideal treatment plan based on a monthly or an annual budget. You don’t have to have all the cash together and pay in a lump sum, but you must be honest and sincere about your wants and your abilities.
There is no amount that is considered too low— remember that it does not need to be there in one big lump sum when you walk in the door—but a straightforward approach gives the dentist a chance to work with you over two, three, four, or five years and bring your oral health to the optimum level for your budget.
There are situations in which—for health or technical reasons—your treatment may have to be completed over a shorter period of time or even immediately. In those unique situations, I strongly suggest applying through financing with any of our partner companies. These companies can help you finance your dental treatment, sometimes up to $50,000.00. This way, you never have to compromise on your dental care or tap into your savings all at once to pay for your desired treatment.
Australia: TLC
Canada: DENTAL CARD
What I need you to remember from this blog, is most dentists call themselves cosmetic dentists. However, unless dentists have gone through a formal cosmetic postgraduate training program, they just don’t know what they don’t know.
Truly cosmetic dentists follow certain guidelines and principles that will ensure their patients not only to die for smiles but smiles that last them for a very long time.
On the surface, this may not be apparent to those patients who have not read this blog or other blogs focused on patients’ education; and who think all dentists are created equal.
Most patients who are considering cosmetic dentistry, when they come in for a consult, are concerned that their new smile may look fake. They usually see their friends who have gone through the process and don’t like their results.
Following is a list of reasons why cosmetic dentistry using veneers or crowns can look fake:
- Teeth that are made all at the same length with no variation
- The color of the teeth are much whiter than the whiteness of the eyes
- Showing more teeth in your smile that is a different color than the new smile Veneers/crowns that are monochromatic in color
- Veneers or crowns that have been made by a dental lab technician who did not have formal training in cosmetic dentistry
- Veneers/crowns that are monochromatic in color
- The dentist does not provide a mock wax-up of the proposed new smile
- The patient does not get a trial set/ prototype of the set before the final smile
- The new smile does not match the patient’s facial profile
- A gum line that is not even and is not contoured properly
- When the overall dental bite is not considered in the overall facial aesthetic
You may be interested in our other Cosmetic Dentistry blogs.
14 screening questions to find the best cosmetic dentist near home or overseas?
Composite Veneers. A More Conservative Approach to a Beautiful Smile.
