Cosmetic dentistry isn’t just about some dental procedures. It’s an art as well, and they require a specialized dentist who knows how to work with it. They focus on shaping the teeth to bring back the natural appearance of the teeth and also focus on how the teeth will affect your smile, lips, cheeks, and the way your mouth will feel.
Choosing a good cosmetic dentist can be difficult. However, you can still find experts in cosmetic dentistry in Penrith, if you look for certain things. To help you with that, this article covers a list of things you should consider when choosing a cosmetic dentist to solve your dental problems.
Table of Contents
1. Check Your Dentist’s Training and Credentials
Before you visit a doctor for your cosmetic dental procedure, check the educational background, certifications, and training received. See which dental institutions they went to, how qualified they are, and what training they’ve received for the procedures they’re experts in.
Dentists who want to specialize in cosmetic dentistry need to go through dental school where they’ll study general dentistry. They’ll hold a degree in Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD). Doctors who are interested to pursue a career in cosmetic dentistry will take additional training and earn expertise in cosmetic dental procedures.
If you’re living in, say, England and you need a dental procedure, you can look for a trusted London-based cosmetic dentist. Their credentials and training should match the British Dental Association requirements and they should be experts in what they do.
2. Investigate Their Previous Cases
We all may have heard stories of at least one dentist in our lifetime who presented random pictures as their previous cases, but their service ultimately ended up not living up to the expectations. To avoid facing such a detrimental situation, it’s wise to investigate the previous cases of the dentist you’re planning to visit.
If the dentist has a website, visit the site to look for before and after shots of real patients of the dentist. You’ll be able to tell the difference and judge how well they have treated the patients.
And if you don’t find any website or any social media presence, then you can visit their clinic. Almost every dentist has a portfolio of the patients they have treated previously, with pictures that show visible changes.
3. Get Real Reviews About the Dentist
A dentist may have great credentials mentioned. However, don’t just rely on that. Just like made-up treatment cases, reviews on great cosmetic dental services can be made up too.
To avoid that, visit the doctor’s website and scan through the reviews section. Read the reviews under the all-stars and one-star sections. That way, you’ll get the real picture of how expert the dentist is and which procedures they’re better at.
And if you can’t find any online presence, then you can try to contact the people from whom you came to know of the dentist. You can get their reviews and understand the quality of their treatment. You can also get an idea about the associated costs and how long it’ll take to get the results.
4. See Their Experience With Smile Designing
Cosmetic dental surgery isn’t just about science. It’s a work of art as well, which is why getting before and after pictures of previous clients will give you an idea about the ‘smile designing’ experience of a dentist.
Smile designing involves everything about the mouth, not just the teeth. A dentist who’s experienced in it will see how the current positioning of your teeth affects the way your mouth closes or opens, the impression your teeth have left inside your lips, and how your dental structure shapes your smile.
Based on all of these, the dentist will create a model of how your teeth should look after the cosmetic procedure. This will also affect the way your lips move when you smile, how your mouth closes, and how the inside of your mouth should eventually feel.
5. Get a Proper and Honest Consultation
Before committing to a dentist, you should visit them and talk to them. This will help you get to know them better, what their experiences are, and know more about their training and credentials. You can also get an idea of their expertise by the way they talk about their work.
When getting reviews about the doctor, remember to check how honest they are about their patient’s cases. Dentists who are devoted to giving excellent care to their patients will be more open to the steps, the results, and the challenges. They’ll aim to prepare their patients for any negative experience they may have during or after the procedures.
No matter how shy you are about how your teeth look, be open about your dental issues to your dentist and explain the goal you want to achieve. With a clear picture of the problems and the ultimate goal, your doctor will be able to design the course of action for you.
6. See the Technologies They Use for Their Procedures
It’s impossible to see a clear picture of the entire mouth cavity just with the naked eye. That’s why dentists require a lot of tools and technologies to get a clearer idea of what’s happening in and around your teeth and inside your gums. Some dentists even use 3D printers to build models of the teeth and mouth of their patients!
A good dentist will have the necessary scanning tools, computers, and software that will help to find out the root of the problem, build a model with the existing issues, and make a model of the final results. They’ll know how to use technology to give you the results you’re expecting, maybe even better ones sometimes.
7. Check the Lab Experts They Work With
The dentists aren’t all alone when working with their patients, as in many cases they’ll need to design tooth caps, veneers, braces, etc. Doing these alone will leave them no time to attend to patients, as these processes take a lot of time, attention, and dedication.
That’s why cosmetic dentists work with a team of lab experts who prepare the items according to proper measurements. Your dentist will take pictures of your teeth, match the color with the sample strip, take molds of your dental structure with a few different materials, and send the samples to the lab.
The laboratory experts will then build the necessary things for your teeth. If you want veneers to align your teeth, they’ll make these for you according to your gum structure. If you need dental implants or need to wear a cap after root canaling, they’ll make a cap that looks just like your natural teeth.
A lot of your final results won’t just depend on your dentist but also on how expert the lab technicians are. Besides, one size doesn’t fit all, and lab experts ensure to customize everything according to the patient’s needs.
8. Ask About the Pricing and Payment Plans
Cosmetic dental procedures aren’t always affordable for everyone, let’s be real about that. A lot of these procedures can cost you enough to think about paying in installments or even canceling your whole plan.
That’s why you should discuss the payment plans while you’re consulting with the dentist. If you think the cost of the procedures will fall within your budget, then that’s good news for you! However, if that’s not possible, ask your doctor if there’s any payment plan available, such as paying a certain amount during every visit, much like paying in installments.
9. Know About the Time Required for the Process
Cosmetic dental procedures can’t be completed in just one session. Most of the time, you’ll need a few sessions and may even require minor surgeries. Each of these surgeries will need a specific healing time before moving on to the next stage.
Before you move on with the procedures, ask your dentist for a thorough breakdown of the timeframe for your dental treatments. This will prepare you for the steps ahead and the precautions you need to take between each procedure, as you still have to continue with your daily activities.
In case you need to prepare for surgeries that require general sedation, pre-operative and post-operative care, you’ll have a breakdown of those as well. You’ll also get to know how long it’ll take for the surgeries to heal, or how long it’ll take for your teeth to get in shape.
The Common Problems That Require Cosmetic Dental Procedures
Everyone is beautiful the way they are. However, people often don’t feel confident smiling in front of others because of their teeth. But why?
There are some common dental problems that cause insecurity among people. The picture-perfect teeth that we often see models smiling with can make us compare our smiles with theirs, sabotaging our confidence without us even realizing it.
Here’s a list of some of the common dental problems which can be corrected with cosmetic dental procedures.
● Gap Between Teeth
Some people have wider jaws, creating a gap or multiple gaps between their teeth. This can be corrected using dental implants, caps, or by using a specific mixture that can be cured and set to the teeth.
● Missing Teeth
Some people have missing teeth, whether it’s due to decay or an underdeveloped set of teeth in a jaw. It can affect the way the lips and cheeks are shaped, depending on where the missing teeth are. Dental implants can solve this issue.
● Broken or Chipped Teeth
Many people chip or break their teeth due to accidents; dental caps, implants, and dental gels can help to solve these problems.
● Crooked or Uneven Teeth
Sometimes, teeth can grow crooked and get jumbled onto each other, which misshapes the lips and cheeks. Teeth can grow uneven too, some wider and taller, while the others shorter and weaker. Cosmetic procedures like braces and veneers can cure these teeth and bring an even look all around.
● Excess Gum
Some people hesitate to smile because their gums have overgrown and cover a lot of their teeth. Cosmetic dental procedures and braces can help these gums get back in shape.
Conclusion
Hesitating to smile openly in front of people due to uneven, broken, or stained teeth is a common issue. Cosmetic dentists specialize in solving these problems for people and helping them smile confidently.
We hope that this list of considerations will help you look for an experienced cosmetic dentist. With the right expert, you’ll be smiling brighter than ever!