We have noticed that there are two types of patients when it comes to enhancing a person's smile. One type, which we'll call the “Perfect Minded” patient, expects teeth that are completely regular in their arrangement and of maximum whiteness and brightness, often beyond the range of traditional guides for tooth color. They are looking for a perfect “Hollywood” smile. The other, the “Natural Minded” patient, is looking for a more natural look. This person expects a general sense of regularity and alignment of teeth with definite brightness, but not so much that the teeth are noticeable before and above other facial features. Which type are you?

The “Perfect Minded” Patient
While you expect maximum regularity and alignment of teeth along with maximum whiteness and brightness, the “perfect minded” patient requires a smile completely symmetrical (balanced from one side to the other). If we drew a vertical line down the center of your face (midline), it would fall directly between your front teeth and your smile would look just the same on each side of the line. You also expect your smile to be horizontally symmetric, so that it matches the curvature of your lower lip and the gum lines match from side to side.

The “Natural Minded” Patient
You are looking for a more subtle, natural look produced by including some minor irregularities in your look. Like the “Perfect Minded” individual, you still expect your teeth to be generally regular and well aligned but you also want to have some minor asymmetries (not matching) as you move farther back along your jaw to make your teeth look real. Your preference in tooth color is not a super shade of white, but for a tooth color that looks very natural for your facial skin and hair color.

There is no right or wrong here. What is important is to be sure to communicate your expectations to us before embarking on a program of smile redesign.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions about Smile Design. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Great Expectations — Perceptions in Smile Design.”

Of major importance in all wedding day plans is to ensure that you have your special day captured on film. And it is that fact that influences most brides and grooms to take a long and hard look in the mirror to observe their smiles. Not only do wedding dates motivate many brides and grooms to address concerns regarding their smile, it also serves as the perfect time for their parents to pursue their smile makeover dreams so that they too feel good about themselves in your wedding photos.

A proper smile makeover should have a two-fold design plan that ensures you obtain optimal functionality and oral health while creating the cosmetic look you want. Starting with the basics, a thorough dental cleaning is the least expensive way to remove stains and freshen both your smile and breath. We will also use this consultation to learn about your concerns, goals, expectations, and wedding day timeline to create the action plan for future treatments in reaching your smile makeover goals. You may also want to discuss whitening your teeth during your appointment, as whitening teeth is an effective way to brighten your smile a few shades in as few as 1 to 2 appointments plus whitening while at home.

If your smile makeover is a bit more challenging, relax. There are a wide variety of tools and techniques available that include bonding, veneers, crowns, bridges, and dental implants for restoring your smile. Or we may work closely with a specialist such as an orthodontist to straighten your teeth or a periodontist for periodontal plastic surgery that can alter your gum tissues and their relationship with your teeth. The most important tip to remember is to schedule your first dental appointment soon after you become engaged so that you have plenty of time prior to the big day to attain your picture perfect wedding day smile.

Want to learn more?

Contact us today to discuss your smile makeover questions or to schedule an appointment. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor article, “Planning Your Wedding Day Smile.”

Quiz: What Is Smile Design?

All cultures worldwide recognize a smile as positive nonverbal communication. Yet many people are insecure about the way their smile looks. Modern cosmetic dentistry can completely change your smile through a comprehensive technique called Smile Design.

Take the following quiz to find out how much you know about your smile and smile design.

1. What is the basic reason we consider straight, healthy teeth to be attractive?
1. An article in a beauty magazine.
2. An instinctive understanding of health and survival.
3. Our first grade teacher said so.
4. A talk show on television.
2. What must we take into account in designing an attractive, balanced smile?
1. The shape of your face.
2. Your skin color and complexion.
3. The form of your lips.
4. All of the above.
3. As your dentist, we consider each of the following in evaluating your current smile except:
1. Your marital status.
2. The health of your bone and gum tissues.
3. How your jaw joints function.
4. The stability of your bite.
4. What do we use to evaluate your smile?
1. X-rays and photographs.
2. Models of your teeth and gums.
3. Photographs and computer graphics.
4. All of the above.
5. Bonding is one method that may be used to test or enhance your smile. It is used as:
1. A way of making friends with your dentist.
2. A way of training secret agents.
3. A method of repairing chipped, broken or decayed teeth and testing changes before they are made permanent.
4. None of the above.

Answers

1. b. What we consider an attractive smile is rooted in instinctive understanding of health and survival. We value straight, white, healthy teeth — only a few centuries ago, a person with few or no teeth was likely to starve.
2. d. All of these factors must be taken into consideration in order to design a smile that is in balance with your face.
3. a. While satisfaction with your life partner may make you smile, our priority in smile design is to make sure that the basic structures of your teeth are healthy and function properly.
4. d. All of the above are used in evaluating your current condition to design a new smile.
5. c. In bonding, a composite resin tooth colored material is shaped and physically bonded to a tooth or teeth that are chipped, broken, or decayed to restore both aesthetics and function.

After careful analysis and planning, a variety of techniques can be used to redesign an attractive and healthy new smile, so you can feel confident about smiling and sharing it with the world. To learn more about Smile Design, read “Beautiful Smiles by Design.” Or contact us to discuss your questions or to schedule an appointment.

Dental implants traditionally have a high success rate with numerous studies showing long-term success rates of over 95%. This is just one of the reasons they have been widely accepted as the best method for permanently replacing missing teeth. In fact, over-dentures, which are full dentures supported and stabilized by at least two dental implants, are now considered the standard of care by the American Dental Association (ADA) for people who have lost all of their teeth in one or both jaws. And while they have a high success rate, there are some factors that can compromise the success rates of implants.

These factors are generally divided into three categories: general health concerns, local factors, and maintenance issues.

• General health concerns: Your general health, lifestyle, and habits can play a major role in the success of dental implants. For example, smoking, diabetes, osteoporosis (porous bone) or a compromised immune (resistance) system can all negatively impact implant healing and success. And if you have a history of radiation treatment to your jawbones, you are at a higher risk for complications.
• Local factors: Some examples of local factors that can affect implant success include bone quality and quantity — having sufficient bone in the right place to accurately secure and locate the implants.
• Maintenance issues: While implants are excellent high tech replacements for missing permanent teeth, they do require routine maintenance. This includes daily cleaning and continued professional care. Otherwise, implants are just like any other technically sophisticated devices — they may be susceptible to breakdown.

To learn more about dental implants, read “Dental Implants, Your Third Set Of Teeth.” Or if you prefer, you can contact us to discuss your questions or to schedule an appointment.

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” or cover that we place over a tooth that is badly damaged from trauma or decay to restore its shape, strength, size and functionality. We also use them for cosmetic reasons to improve a tooth's appearance with natural, life-like results. Crowns are generally handcrafted by dental laboratory technicians using high-quality dental porcelains (ceramic materials) that are made to fit on precise replicas (molds) of the prepared teeth. In our office, we generally make temporary crowns to protect the teeth to keep them comfortable and functional while the permanent crown(s) is being made. And once a crown is placed (cemented into position), it fully encases the entire visible portion of the tooth that lies at and above the gum line.

When Are They Necessary?

There are many reasons a crown may be needed. Some of these include:

• To repair a tooth that is worn down, broken or badly damaged by decay or injury.
• To restore a tooth so severely damaged by decay that the tooth's structure is no longer intact enough to place a filling or where a filling can't restore the tooth to its former strength.
• To protect a tooth that has minor cracks or fractures from further damage.
• To create a bridge to replace a missing tooth, in which the teeth on either side, known as abutments, must be “crowned” to attach to the “pontic” (from the French word, “pont” that means bridge).
• To create the visible part of the tooth that sits atop a dental implant.
• To improve the appearance of a tooth providing a more appealing shape and color.

To learn more on this topic, read the Dear Doctor article, “Porcelain Crowns & Veneers.” You can also contact us to discuss your questions or to schedule a consultation.