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Raymond A. Della Porta, II DMD
Vero Beach, FL 32960
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My Blog
Posts for tag: cosmetic dentistry
Digital computer technology has made a big impact on cosmetic dentistry. We can now simulate on a monitor display of your face how your new smile will appear after dental work, thanks to a graphics program specifically designed for cosmetic dentistry.
While that's an amazing development, we can also take it a step further by creating the look of a new smile on your actual teeth during an office visit. We call it a “trial smile.”
To create a trial smile, we begin with composite resin, a tooth-colored bonding material, and fashion it into temporary veneers or crowns that we then temporarily place over your teeth. This gives us the chance to see what your new smile will look like in all three spatial dimensions (rather than the two-dimensional view on a computer monitor) and while your face is in motion as you talk and smile. This can give us a great deal more detail to help better evaluate your proposed look.
A trial smile also helps us in planning your new look. Like you, we want the best result possible: a trial smile allows us to see how your jaw movement interacts with your updated look and if everything works together as it should. It will also give us a better idea how much tooth structure we'll need to remove to accommodate your permanent veneers or crowns — the less, of course, the better.
Although you won't be able to take your trial smile with you when you leave, we can take a photograph you can review later, as well as show friends and family for their opinion. Trial smiles do add some cost to treatment, but the proportion of expense to the benefit of actually viewing your smile in this fashion is well worth it. It's one more way we can ensure your final new smile meets your expectations.
If you would like more information on “trial smiles,” please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Testing Your Smile Makeover.”
Cosmetic dentists routinely perform smile transformations once thought impossible. Using the latest materials and techniques, today's practitioners can "make over" the most problematic smiles.
But to achieve these results, it's necessary for both dentist and patient to step back and absorb the "bigger picture." If you're considering a smile makeover, your first step on this transformative journey will be this big picture moment called a smile analysis.
A smile analysis is a comprehensive examination in which your dentist looks at every aspect of your current smile. And not just your teeth and gums—he or she will also carefully evaluate the health of the supporting bone of the jaw. Healthy bone is necessary in particular for dental implants, which require adequate bone for optimum placement. Extensive bone loss could rule out implants, or at least postpone their installation until the bone can be rejuvenated through bone grafting.
The analysis doesn't stop with mouth structures, either: an attractive smile must achieve an aesthetic balance with the shape and complexion of the face, especially the color and position of the eyes and the form and posture of the lips. Your dentist will measure and assess all of these facial features and factor them into your individual smile makeover plan. This increases the likelihood your planned restorations will blend seamlessly with your overall appearance.
Your smile analysis will also include what's going on beneath the surface of your current smile. Many appearance problems are actually the consequences of disease, trauma or inherited conditions. These underlying issues will often need to be addressed first: as with renovating a house, it does little good to paint and hang wall paper if the foundation is faulty. Any treatment for disease or trauma may postpone cosmetic work, but it's absolutely necessary to achieve lasting success for your smile makeover.
Although time-consuming, a smile analysis sets the stage for a successful smile transformation. Your new beautiful smile will be well worth this detailed examination.
If you would like more information on undergoing a smile makeover, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Beautiful Smiles by Design.”
Transforming your smile with veneers, crowns or other restorations could be a life-changing decision. To help make that change a successful one, it’s possible to fit you with a kind of temporary restoration that allows you to “try out” your new look and even make modifications before you receive the permanent one.
Referred to as a prototype or provisional restoration, it’s different from other temporary, “one-size-fits-all” restorations that serve mainly a functional purpose until the permanent restoration is ready. By contrast, a provisional restoration is a customized “blueprint” of the final restoration so you can better communicate with your dentist to get what you want.
Provisional restorations are test runs — they help both patient and dentist evaluate three key areas critical to ultimate success:
Your Smile — with provisional restorations you can get input from others (and from what you see in the mirror) regarding tooth coloring and how it blends with other teeth, the attractiveness of the crown shapes, and whether the teeth appear proportional and balanced with the gums.
Your Facial Appearance — changing the look of teeth may also alter overall facial appearance. Do the new teeth fit well with the lips and other facial features? Do they change the smile line, and does it appear harmonious with the rest of the face?
Your Mouth Function — There’s more to teeth, of course, than how they look. Teeth are essential for biting, chewing and speaking. So, can you perform these tasks comfortably with the provisional restoration?
While you’re wearing the provisional restoration, we’ll discuss these and other areas, what might look or work better, or if you feel we’ve hit the mark just right. We can then modify or verify our specifications with the dental lab creating the final restoration.
Of course, a provisional restoration will allow you to function normally like other temporary options. But their custom detail serves a higher purpose — to help us improve your future smile.
If you would like more information on customized temporary restorations, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Concepts in Temporary Restorations.”
You've reached a decision—that old, unattractive smile has to go. You're ready for a complete makeover—and the field of cosmetic dentistry has the materials, techniques and equipment to make it happen.
But it could be a major undertaking requiring a fair amount of time and money. And once all the procedures are complete, what if you're not happy with the results?
Fortunately, you don't have to wait with nervous apprehension until the end of the dental work to see what your smile will look like. We can give you a realistic preview of your new smile before we even begin—and not on a computer monitor. We can actually create a trial smile applied directly to your actual teeth so you can see your new look up close and personal, and in all three spatial dimensions.
That's not to put down enhanced computer presentations. State-of-the-art imaging software can display an accurate representation of your future smile transposed onto an image of your face. But it's still a two-dimensional image, like any other photograph. It can't present the full range, movement or feel of the real thing.
A trial smile can. We shape and sculpt composite resin to resemble the finished dental work and temporarily bond it to your teeth. Once applied, you'll then be able to see what your appearance will look like from different angles and movements. Although we'll have to remove the trial smile before you leave, we can photograph it so you can show it to family and friends for their reaction.
While it's an added expense, a trial smile has two great benefits. First, it helps both of us "test drive" your new look and see how it performs in different ways: as you speak, when you're relaxed and, of course, when you smile. This allows us, if necessary, to fine-tune your planned dental work. Perhaps the biggest benefit, though, is that it can reassure you you've made the right decision to remake your smile.
With a trail smile, there are no surprises—you'll know what the end result will look like before any work is done. And that can be a great motivator toward obtaining the smile you've dreamed of having.
If you would like more information on restoring your smile, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Testing Your Smile Makeover: The Reassurance of a Trial Smile.”
At the first-ever Players Weekend in August 2017, Major League Baseball players wore jerseys with their nicknames on the back. One player — Cleveland Indians shortstop, Francisco Lindor — picked the perfect moniker to express his cheerful, fun-loving nature: “Mr. Smile.” And Lindor gave fans plenty to smile about when he belted a 2-run homer into the stands while wearing his new jersey!
Lindor has explained that he believes smiling is an important part of connecting with fans and teammates alike: “I’ve never been a fan of the guy that makes a great play and then acts like he’s done it 10,000 times — smile, man! We’ve got to enjoy the game.”
We think Lindor is right: Smiling is a great way to generate good will. And it feels great too… as long as you have a smile that’s healthy, and that looks as good as you want it to. But what if you don’t? Here are some things we can do at the dental office to help you enjoy smiling again:
Routine Professional Cleanings & Exams. This is a great place to start on the road toward a healthy, beautiful smile. Even if you are conscientious about brushing and flossing at home, you won’t be able to remove all of the disease-causing dental plaque that can hide beneath the gum line, especially if it has hardened into tartar, but we can do it easily in the office. Then, after a thorough dental exam, we can identify any problems that may be affecting your ability to smile freely, such as tooth decay, gum disease, or cosmetic dental issues.
Cosmetic Dental Treatments. If your oral health is good but your smile is not as bright as you’d like it to be, we can discuss a number of cosmetic dental treatments that can help. These range from conservative procedures such as professional teeth whitening and bonding to more dramatic procedures like porcelain veneers or crowns.
Tooth Replacement. Many people hide their smiles because they are embarrassed by a gap from a missing tooth. That’s a shame, because there are several excellent tooth-replacement options in a variety of price ranges. These include partial and full dentures, bridgework, and dental implants. So don’t let a missing tooth stop you from being Mr. (or Ms.) Smile!
If you’d like more information about oral health or cosmetic dentistry, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Beautiful Smiles by Design” and “The Impact of a Smile Makeover.”