Tag Archives: cosmetic dentistry

The 3 W’s to Ask When Getting Cosmetic Dentistry

02 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in cosmetic dentistry, DentistUSA.com, General Dentistry

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To the many people whose smile doesn’t embarrass them, cosmetic dentistry is barely an after-thought. Outside of the occasional teeth whitening, it’s nothing needed. But for some, a smile is cause for embarrassment; a hand across the mouth covers up laughter. There is a constant need to hide. For those people cosmetic dentistry can be life altering.

There are many forms of cosmetic dentistry, anything from a simple teeth whitening to fixing an overbite. Of course, when there is such a wide array of things that can get done, there will be a lot of questions. To help put your mind at ease, here are the “Who”, “What” and “Why” questions you should ask before deciding on a procedure.

Let’s start with…

Who?

This is an important question as cosmetic dentistry is not an officially recognized specialty within dentistry. So looking for a doctor that has an accreditation from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry is a good start. To get an accreditation a dentist must complete a written examination, document five specific types of clinical cases, participate in continuing education classes, and pass a final oral examination.

What to Ask?

Once you find an accredited dentist, the AACD recommends that you ask for the following items before undergoing treatment:

Before and after photos. These photos will allow you to examine the results of other patients being treated by the dentist to make sure his or her work fits your dental needs.

References. References allow you to get a sense of the quality of care the dentist provides.

Proof of continuing education. Be certain that your dentist has taken continuing education courses to keep him or her up-to-date with the latest techniques in clinical cosmetic dentistry.

Once you find the perfect dentist, learn about the benefits and risks, and what you can expect during the process. Make sure you’re clear about:

      What it will cost?

      How much experience your dentist has with the procedure?

      If there is any special maintenance needed afterwards?

 Answering these questions will lead to, probably the most important one:

Why Am I Doing This?

Ask yourself:

        How will these treatments benefit me? 

        Do the costs outweigh the benefits?

These are important questions to ask when you are deciding on what could be, pricey fixes. Your dentist will be able to help you decide if a treatment will really enhance your quality of life or if it will just add a huge bill to the pile.

Your smile is your calling card on the world. A confident one will imprint itself on the people around you. If you have decided to learn more about enhancing your smile, having these questions answered to your satisfaction will help you to build trust in your doctor and help you relax with your decision. Soon you’ll be brightening the world with your new smile!

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Veneers: The Buzz Surrounding Veneers

08 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in Adult Dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, oral hygeine

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Do you see celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff and Catherine Zeta Jones and wish that you could have a similarly dazzling smile?  A whiter smile is immediately associated with looking younger and often makes one happier and more confident.  Thanks to cosmetic dentists, having beautiful, straight, white teeth doesn’t necessarily require a visit to the orthodontist.  Celebrities usually get veneers, which are an ultra-thin piece of porcelain placed over the tooth’s surface.  We talked to Dr. Ian Rodd from Dana Point, CA to find out why veneers are so popular and the kinds of patients this procedure is ideal for.

Veneers are ideal for those who:

  • have discolored teeth
  • have broken teeth
  • have misaligned teeth
  • want to change their smile in a short period of time

Though you may worry that having veneers will change your appearance too drastically or look too “fake,” when done properly the results can be beautiful.  “Porcelain veneers mimic the properties of our own teeth, so they are very aesthetically pleasing,” explains Dr. Rodd. “Porcelain Veneers transmit light in a manner similar to our own teeth, which allows them to blend seamlessly with our smiles.”

In the past five years there has been an over 3000% increase in cosmetic procedures, like tooth whitening and porcelain veneers, performed by cosmetic dentists.  As with any medical procedure, it is imperative to ask your dentist the right questions before making a commitment.

People who are contemplating cosmetic veneers should take the time and expense of requesting a diagnostic wax-up to be fabricated by their dentist.  “A diagnostic wax-up is one of the most cost effective and reliable ways to see if the final veneers would be to the patient’s liking,” advises Dr. Rodd.

According to Dr. Rodd, the typical steps taken for cosmetic veneers are:

The Consultation Appointment:
Your cosmetic dentist will take impressions of your teeth at the consultation appointment.  These impressions are then used by the lab to fabricate a wax mock-up of the final veneers (basically the way the dentist and their trusted lab envisions your final smile design).  This is the best way to see how the veneers might look once fitted.  The consultation appointment is also when your cosmetic dentist can evaluate your bite and the shape of your teeth to see if the veneers are the best solution for your smile.

Tooth Preparation:
When the diagnostic wax-up is prepared, the patient and their dentist can go over the proposed design of the veneers and make modifications.   Once that step is completed, the teeth are prepared and impressions are taken of the prepared teeth.  The diagnostic wax-up can be useful at this time to make the temporary veneers which will be placed over the patient’s prepared teeth while the final veneers are being fabricated by the lab.

Veneer Delivery
Once all these proper design steps are taken, the final veneer delivery appointment should be a relatively easy and predictable one.

The total process for veneers takes about three weeks (if you include the diagnostic mock-up), which is significantly less time than orthodontic braces would take.  This makes veneers the go-to treatment for many celebrities.  Dr. Rodd cautions that veneers are not recommended for everyone.  In teenagers for example, where the jaws are still forming and moving, veneers are often not a good idea since they may need to be redone due to tooth movement. 

If you are considering getting veneers to beautify your smile, consider visiting a cosmetic dentist for a consultation.  You should go prepared with few questions to ask a dentist before completing this procedure.  Dr. Rodd suggests:

1) Ask how long they’ve been placing veneers and how often they do this procedure (Dr. Rodd says he performs this procedure weekly).
2) Ask about their training.  Though any dentist can place veneers, make sure the one you choose is a cosmetic dentist that has completed proper training. (proper training can equal up to hundreds of hours!)
3) Ask for a diagnostic wax-up to see how veneers would look once completed.

We hope this information is useful should you decide to get veneers to beautify your smile.  Be sure to visit www.DentistUSA.com to find a dentist in your area.  Some dentists offer fantastic specials and coupons on DentistUSA so make sure to take advantage of these exclusive deals.

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This site is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. Through this site and linkages to other sites, DentistUSA.com provides general information for educational purposes only. The information provided in this site, or through linkages to other sites, is not a substitute for medical or professional care, and you should not use the information in place of a visit, call consultation or the advice of your dentist or other healthcare provider. DentistUSA.com is not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any other information, services or product you obtain through this site.

Celebrities with Porcelain Veneers

08 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in cosmetic dentistry, General Dentistry, oral hygeine

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Veneers are a quick way to improve the appearance of your smile, and no one knows this trick better than celebrities.  Here are some photos of celebrities who are rumored to have transformed their smiles with the help of a cosmetic dentist.

Hilary Duff is famous for her veneers.  She even had to have them re-done after
she got major backlash in the media from her veneers being too long and her mouth being “horse-like” (she should have used DentistUSA.com to find a trusted dentist!).It’s hard to believe how much of an impact porcelain veneers can have on one’s career.  Here are photos of beautiful actress Catherine Zeta-Jones before and after her smile transformation.Two-time Academy Award Winning Actor Denzel Washington has veneers to brighten up his famous smile.

Singer, songwriter and fashion designer Jessica Simpson is always in the spotlight, so naturally, she has veneers to make sure her smile is perfect.

Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers admits to having veneers done to make his smile more “Hollywood.”

High school musical star and teen heart throb Zac Efron got his smile made over before he got ultra-famous.  Here’s a before and after look at his smile:

 

The dazzling Eva Mendez shows off her mega watt smile in this picture.  She can thank veneers and teeth whitening for her smile.

 

If you want to have the same, dazzling smile as your favorite celebrities, visit a cosmetic dentist.  You can read more about the procedure here, and you can schedule an appointment for a great dentist by visiting DentistUSA.com.