Cosmetic Dentistry... how will it look when it's done?

One of the most frequent cosmetic concerns patients ask me to correct for them are pointy "fang" (canine) teeth.  What I often hear is  "can't  you just file down the tooth?"  The solution is usually not taking away tooth material but actually adding more to the tooth, either with composite resin  (white filling material) or porcelain  veneers.  When I suggest adding instead of taking away, it can be  hard for patients to visualize what I am recommending (well, they are patients and not dentists, right?)  Let's therefore go over one of the best ways to show what cosmetic enhancements can be accomplished by cosmetic dentistry today.

Yesterday I had a young woman with an attractive smile in the office who wanted this very type of esthetic improvement.  Now I can show her on a computer what it may look like but seeing is believing.   So using composite resin (the white filling material we use) I added to her teeth to show her the different types of improvements I can offer.  I didn't bond the material nor spend a lot of time matching colours or polishing the composite as I was performing what we dentists call a "Cosmetic Mock Up".  

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Don't forget about the lower front teeth...

Do you ever look at someone when they speak?  I mean closesly…looking at their mouths?  I know you do, it’s just that you only consciously notice it if something is wrong with their teeth.  Watch the mouth of the person reading the news on TV for example.  What do you see?  If you watch carefully you will notice that you see their lower teeth, usually much more than their upper teeth.  look at the lower anterior teethSo why do I bring this up? Because when patients ask me for an esthetic makeover of their smile they have in mind the kind of beautiful smile I made for the young lady you see in my banner at the top of the page.  When I ask them about their lower teeth, often they want to delay treating them until much later. 

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One visit Cosmetic Bonding...

A patient named Wendy came in for her regular biannual check up.  After chatting and asking her if she had any concerns she wanted me to address she told me she'd really like to fix her "fang" teeth.  Lots of people seem to call them that, but dentists call them "cuspids" or cainine teeth.  In any case, often they appear pointy and it can detract from an otherwise wonderful smile. 

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When smiles really matter....

before Veneer TreatmentThis past summer a patient of mine was getting married.  And as the bride to be, it was of course important that everything go perfectly on one of the most important days of her life.  Everyone remembers their wedding day and the photographs taken that day will be cherished forever.  And so it was, that she sent her fiance Martin to see me.  Martin is a great fellow with a great smile, except for one, old composite filling, right up front and center.   We needed to correct this before the big day! 

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