Cosmetic Dentisty is part art and part science. I love the combination. The primary challenge with any cosmetic procedure is aligning what is theoretically cosmetically pleasing with what YOU, the patient, actually want for your smile. Cosmetic dentistry is so subjective…What looks good and “ideal” to you may be different from what another patient views as “beautiful” and ideal for their smile. For example, one of the discussussion I ALWAYS have with patients when discussing front teeth make overs is how long the lateral incisors should be…(these are the second upper teeth over from the middle). There are several different smile designs and some involve making the smile line (line from K9 to central incisor) flat, and some involve making the lateral incisors slightly ofset or shorter. See the images to get a better idea of what I mean…
A natural “youthful smile” usually shows a slightly shorter lateral incisor, or “offset” design. Some patients love this look, but I’ve had many that want a “Flat” smile design. Neither option is wrong. It’s just a matter of opinion. Which is why I always start out treatment planning and vision for a case, with questions about what you think is the perfect image you have in your mind, for your smile.
With porcelain veneer, porcelain crowns or composite bonding: we can acheive almost anything you desire. But, your homework before committing to any treatment plan or treatment plan discussion will be to go online and find some photos of smiles that you think are beautiful and examples of smiles that you hope to replicate.
After we establish what is ideal to you…we can then start narrowing in on what type of treatment you’ll need to make your dream come true!