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They say that the thought of smiling alone has the effect of lifting your mood. A smile is the ice breaker that never fails; it makes you more accessible around new people and eases the labour that naturally comes with first interactions. People who like to smile a lot also have high esteem, mostly because you hardly come across someone who doesn’t respond well to a smile. Even though a smile can make you look and feel your best, there are those who are not so fond of it, and there are plenty of reasons why you might not be comfortable smiling in public. However, everyone deserves to have pearly whites that they are proud to show off in public. That is what cosmetic dentistry is there for. The procedures involved aim at improving your appearance and enhancing your smile. This kind of dental work is also referred to as aesthetic dentistry. There is a lot that goes into it as it corrects different flaws including colour, shape, position, alignment and size. A lot of the procedures customarily focus on the look without much of a functional benefit. There are however some that have a functional edge.This type of dental work has not yet been recognised as a medical specialty by the Australian Dental Association. However, the field has evolved do quickly over the years that there is a need for accreditation. Contents A little history on cosmetic dentistry Cosmetic dentistry is for everyone Trends in aesthetic dentistry Invisalign or Clear Correct Bonding 3D Dentistry Dental implants; the new prosthetics Other trends that are currently shaping cosmetic dentistry Other aesthetic oral care procedures Teeth Whitening Veneers Gum lift Inlays and onlays Full mouth reconstruction Things to look forward to on your first consultation Considerations that will go a long way toward ensuring you get the best service How to get a good practitioner for your dental needs Final word A little history on cosmetic dentistry Cosmetic dentistry dates as far back as 700 BC when dentures were made from bone and ivory. The Egyptians, who are known to have had one of the most elaborate of early civilizations, used gold for dental bridges and crowns to replace missing teeth. In the 1700s cosmetic dentistry experienced a renaissance and there were a lot of developments; key among them was the use of dentures made from porcelain. Another key development was the use of plaster molds which helped dentures fit better. The American dentist, Newell Sill Jenkins (1840-1919), is regarded as the founder of aesthetic dentistry as we know it today. He came up with the Jenkins porcelain enamel, which proved to be the missing linking in the renaissance of cosmetic dentistry. The Jenkins porcelain enamel is used for dental crowns and bridges as well as porcelain paste and inlays. Cosmetic dentistry is for everyone Dentists have a much larger scope of patients to take care of now, with everyone going for the smile of a movie star. Aesthetic dentistry is a go-to for a lot of people even for the slightest fixes. The field has expanded and is now able to correct virtually every flaw that can hinder you from getting the perfect smile. The practice also incorporates new ideas such as dental fillings made of porcelain. Before, decayed teeth would be covered by gold or amalgam dental fillings which could visibly be seen on the tooth, but this is no snag if you are using porcelain filings. As a matter of fact, people are going back to the dentist to have their old dental fillings removed for newer ones that match the color of their teeth. If you look through celebrity photos before and after cosmetic procedures for the different dental treatments they have undergone you will realise that the perfect smile have nothing to do with natural looks. This is reinforced by our ways of life. There are many influences that over time erode the charm of your younger days and thus cracks, chips, misalignments and others spoil your once inviting smile. Owing to the flood of people looking to reclaim their smile, aesthetic dentistry has grown into a field with a lot of new techniques. Trends in aesthetic dentistry A lot of the procedures applied in aesthetic dentistry are simple ones that take a matter of minutes or hours to complete. There are a few more compound procedures though, which need extra oral care. New practices are always cropping up granted the field deals with appearance, which is an ever-changing ideal. Cosmetic dentistry has been around for millennia now. From times when animal bones and seashells were used for teeth, today’s new techniques in this field are centred around simpler, less invasive procedures that do not interfere much with the patient’s daily life. In addition to this, the new techniques are made to be as painless as possible as well as fast. Most of these techniques have slipped into popular culture and have become almost like fads. The cosmetic dentist has a lot of tools at their disposal now and a clientele with fanciful demands that always push for precision. One thing that has brought cosmetic dental procedures to the lime light over the years is cosmetic surgery, which has taken the world by storm. The two go together as one creates the need for the other. Some of the most popular procedures patients are asking for include the following. – Invisalign or Clear Correct It is the quintessential type of modern orthodontics. The procedure is commonly referred to as invisible braces as that is somewhat the case. These clear plates are a logical alternative to the woeful metal braces that they seek to replace. The clear plates work faster than traditional braces too. Invisalign has grown in popularity, mostly because it is seen as a helpful alternative for people who feel like they are past the age for wearing braces who still want to get rid of the crooked smile. Adults can use Invisalign as a

What is the way back when you lose your teeth? A big section of the population has to cope with the loss of teeth and looking for alternatives to better their smile. As a matter of fact, 70% of the population in Australia has lost at least a tooth. The fact that most people have lost a tooth at the back is no coincidence. The first permanent teeth that show up are the “6-year molars,” and these are usually also the first to fall off. A number of reasons influence the premature loss of molars and these include; unsuccessful endodontic therapy- commonly known as root canals, fractures, or tooth decay.With all the processed food at our disposal, it’s no wonder more people are facing dental problems now more than ever. Processed sugar is the greatest enemy to healthy teeth; unfortunately we have so much of it at our disposal that it is virtually impossible to get away from it. Dental implants are one of the ways in which you can improve your smile. Modern dentistry has gone through a myriad of changes that promote better results. Many ingenious ways of correcting dental problems have come up as dentists strive to give their patients exactly what they need when it comes to oral care. Missing teeth is one of the dental challenges that can expertly be taken care of by modern dentistry to ensure the patient lives a normal life no matter whether they need a single tooth or a few of them replaced. Contents What are dental implants? Implants have 3 parts Types of implants available Be confident about your smile with dental implants You lose your youthful appearance Bone loss Gum tissue decrease poses functional problems Bone loss does not stop with alveolar bone Getting a dental implant; the procedure Placing the implant The healing phas Placing the crown(extruded) tooth What to expect after getting the implant What are the viable options for dental implants? Most dentists have workable plans to help you get your implants Replacing a single tooth A denture to go with the dental implants Combing dental implants with a bridge Getting a good dentist to restore your smile Check for a dentist with continuing studies What recognition does the dentist have? Are you comfortable with your dentist? Friends and family will help you land a dentist within your range Final words What are dental implants? Dental implants can be thought of as metal frames or posts which are placed on the jaw bone to hold a replacement teeth or bridges. The implants are made of titanium and serve as artificial roots, a permanent base which replaces lost teeth for natural results. The implants are also preferred over other options since they leave healthy teeth untouched. Implants have 3 parts which are; 1. The frame (implant); the titanium frames are screws on which the crown will be attached. They attach to the jaw. 2. The abutment; it is used as a connector between the implant and the crown that holds teeth together. The connector can always be removed by your dentist to perform some dental work if any problem arises. 3. The crown; this is the prosthetic tooth that you see. It is made of porcelain or zicornium which are durable and match the colour of your teeth. Types of implants available There are two types of implants that patients can ask for. The choice between the two depends on the patient’s dental health as well as previous procedures done on the same tooth. · Endosteal implants; these are the typical implants that most people use for this procedure. The implant is placed in the bone, hence the name endosteal implant. There are various types of implants that can be used, including cylinders, screws and blades. An endosteal implant is ideal for people who have had no previous work done on the tooth or those with removable dentures or bridges. · Subperiosteal implants;these are placed on the jaw. The frames protrude above the gum for holding the prosthetic tooth. These types of implants work best for people who have had bone wasting over a long period thus reducing bone height. Be confident about your smile with dental implants Dental implants are designed to restore the beauty of your smile and give you back your confidence around crowds. If you don’t smile often because missing teeth won’t let you, then such a procedure is just right for you. Aside from the aesthetic value of a full set of teeth, there are a number of serious drawbacks to you have to think about. 1. You lose your youthful appearance It sounds like a fickle thing to worry about when it is said like that, but with the visible change that comes with missing teeth, it is worth worrying about. Your dental formula is there for more than just chewing. It is a solid structure on which the shape of your face depends on. The unsightly spaces in your dental formula affect the way you view yourself and it ultimately affects your social life, as well as your professional image. 2. Bone loss This is one of those worries that demand one takes care of the gaps as soon as possible. The alveolar bone wastes away gradually due to lack of stimulation. This is the bone that lies beneath the basal bone and as the name suggests has a lot of air spaces, thus the quick damage. The first thing to go is external width which is followed by the height and eventually bone volume. During the first year of living with gaps around the mouth causes a 25% loss in width. On the whole, a 4 millimeter decrease occurs in the few years that follow. 3. Gum tissue decrease poses functional problems As bone width and height decreases, it is followed by a decline in gum tissue. The gradual loss of gum tissue brings about difficulty in chewing and speaking too. At this point your smile will

All about dental bone grafting The term bone grafting may not sound very friendly; however, you’ll soon find out the importance of replacing dental bones in the case of lost tooth/teeth. Our jaw bone does a great job of holding our teeth in place. When a tooth comes off, our first thought is to get a dental implant. It is important to note that our dentation is encompassed by bone structure. Therefore when a tooth or teeth are missing the bone doesn’t have anything to support. This can cause a defect in height and width of the bone and that’s where bone grafting comes in. Minor Bone Grafts If you lost tooth/teeth some time back and isn’t growing back, it’s more likely that the loss of bone in that area is hindering growth. A simple bone solution is able to fix the problem. The dentist will open up the affected zone, placing demineralized bone graft granules in it. Some surgeons will prefer to use the patient’s own bone in the operation for the best outcome. Ideally, the dentist will extract the bone somewhere near the wisdom tooth. He will grind the bone to tiny granules then mix it with the demineralized bone. A few months in, the bone graft should heal, merging with the bone tissue to create an even height and width within that area. Large Bone Graft Excessive loss of teeth over time may lead to advanced bone misplacement. The lower jaw bone in this case is severely affected. Affected patients lack enough bone to hold dental implants. Bone grafting is imperative to solving this problem. The procedure involves a blend of demineralized, sterile human bone plus the patient’s own bone which is used to create a balance in height and width in order to accommodate dental implants. The patient’s bone is extracted from the jaw, hip or tibia in the shape of a small block. The patch is protected by a membrane then left to heal for some time before dental implants are input. In the case of a patient who is missing upper molar teeth, a different procedure is involved. When many teeth are missing in the upper jaw, a hollow cavity brings about a condition known as maxillary sinus. To place a dental implant is almost impossible in this situation, therefore bone grafting is necessary in order to raise the width and height of the bone in this region. This operation is called a ‘sinus lift’. The procedure involves making a cut in the gum tissue to reach the sinus cavity. A combination of demineralized, sterile human bone and the sick person’s own bone is deposited into the area between the sinus membrane and the bone of the sinus floor. The surgeon will work on it till a certain thickness is achieved. A vital collagen membrane is put in to protect the new bone. At this time, the width of the bone can be enlarged to create space for new implants. The procedure will take not less than 4 months to heal. Nothing beats a great smile. Don’t be afraid of bone grafting as it makes new teeth possible, especially now that Springvale Dental Clinic is able and equipped to help out!