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Magazine
Aesthetic dentistry: For a million dollar smile
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Advances in cosmetic dentistry can change a person's life dramatically. The result is possible facial harmony, sparkling teeth and a gorgeous smile, says Dr. VIJAILAKSHMI ACHARYA. An overview on the occasion of the 11th annual conference of the Indian Academy of Aesthetic and Cosmetic Dentistry being held in Chennai.
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BROWSING through a book titled Beauty Through the Ages, I was bemused to see that the concept of beauty has changed so radically. While well-oiled hair, kohl-darkened eyes and a buxom figure were the rage of yesteryear, today, beauty wears a bold look laced with abandon. Now beauty deals with such intangibles like Attitude and Style. Yes, a lot has changed except for one thing.
From Marilyn Monroe to Madhuri Dixit, Robert Redford to Rajesh Khanna, the value of the quintessential smile is unchanged. These famous smiles have fired the imagination of the masses and launched a thousand stories.
The aging dentition
Restored by cosmetic dentistry
Yes, a beautiful smile lights up the face, helps you on your route to success, makes you feel good and look better. A beautiful smile is not just for the rich and the famous. It is for all of us. We all want to look good and feel confident.
Cosmetic or Aesthetic dentistry took off in the 1990's and has evolved into a multi-disciplinary component of total facial harmony. Facial harmony applies to all the facial muscles around the mouth, the gums and the teeth. All of these together create an optimal smile and are part of the complete look.
Dentistry has met this challenge with a huge array of new materials and innovative techniques. These can change your smile and your life, forever. As people get older, smiles also start aging. Worn out teeth alter the appearance of the face and discolourations also lend to the aging effect.
Advances in cosmetic dentistry now offer new opportunities that have the potential to reverse the signs of dental aging, thereby giving a more youthful appearance. The advent of new materials and technology in dentistry during the last 10 years has brought with it great promise. Here is a brief overview of what is possible.
Bleeching
Before
After
Bleaching: The most popular aesthetic treatment to lighten yellowing teeth. It is used by itself or along with other cosmetic procedures. It needs to be performed at the dental office under professional supervision.
Irregular teeth
Cosmetically contoured
Cosmetic contouring: Simple procedure to reshape the natural teeth to achieve an illusion of straightness. Painless, simple, fast and dramatic.
Chipped tooth
Before
Bonding
After
Bonding: Done with composite resins to close gaps to fix chipped teeth, to cover discolourations and to replace the traditional silver fillings in the back teeth.
Damaged teeth
Restored with ceramic crowns
Crowns: The teeth are shaped to receive full coverage with ceramics to hide fractured/discoloured teeth.
Silver amalgam fillings
Replaced with tooth coloured fillings (inlays and onlays)
Inlays/Onlays: Tooth coloured fillings in ceramics/composites
Chipped tooth
Before
Porcelain veneers
After
Porcelain veneers: A sliver of porcelain bonded on to the surface of the tooth to close gaps, discolourations and minor irregularities. Many models and actresses rely on them for their gorgeous smile.
Orthognathic surgery
Before
After
Orthognathics: When there is a skeletan mismatch in the shape and relationship of the jaws, surgery is performed to attain facial harmony and an aesthetic result.
Aesthetic braces
Orthodontics: Aesthetic solutions with ceramic brackets to make them almost invisible are popular in this field of dentistry where crooked teeth are aligned.
The gummy smile
Before
After
Periodontics: Modern cosmetic dentistry focusses on solving the problems of the gummy smile by guiding gums and re-contouring them for a better appearance.
Implant aesthetics: Permanently implanted anchors for missing teeth also have results which are very natural.
Smiles all round!
The science of dentistry now holds hands with aesthetics, beauty and harmony. Solutions now exist which can make your smile look stunning. What are you waiting for?
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