| How do I choose a cosmetic dentist? |
| A prosthodontist is an appropriate dentist to look for in cosmetic dentistry. Sometimes if the teeth are badly misalign, an orthodontist may be required to use braces to straighten the teeth first before cosmetic dentistry can be carried out. In cases of advance gum diseases, a periodontist who is a specialist in gum disease may be required to sort out the gum problem before cosmetic work .in other words in complex cases a team approach is required and the prosthodontist is the team coordinator. |
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| How do I go about for a make-over of my smile |
| Ask for a consultation. Let the prosthodontist know your expectations. Bring a “ wish list” with you but be realistic, there are limitations in cosmetic dentistry. |
| Bring photographs of yourself to show how you used to look like when you are younger |
| Request for other patients before/after photographs. This is especially useful if the case is quite similar to yours. You can also assess the quality of the dentist work as well. |
| The prosthodontist will take some x-rays of your teeth to evaluate for gum diseases, tooth decay etc. Photographs of your teeth will be taken to evaluate your smile line and teeth position. A mould of your teeth will be made so as to make a set of study models. The prosthodontist will then do a “diagnostic wax-up” on the model show you how the final results will look like. |
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| Is cosmetic dentistry expensive? |
| Cosmetic dentistry is 3 parts art and 1 part science. The skill of the prosthodontist and the ceramist is important .Besides, cosmetic dentistry requires a lot of time on the part of the dentist. So it is more important to look for a meticulous prosthodontist who is willing to spend a lot of time with you. Beware of “ Budget Price” dentistry as this means that the dentist will have to cut corners in terms of time and material. Remember the old adage , most of the time what you pay is what you get. Many a times patients opted for cheap dentistry with disastrous results and remakes can be very costly and tiresome |
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Paying for cosmetic Dentistry |
| Let the prosthodontist know your budget. He will plan accordingly. Sometimes he can do the job in stages or he will allow you to pay in installments. |
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| Is bleaching for everyone? |
| Bleaching will lighten teeth in 90% of the cases. Teeth that are yellow are the easiest to lighten. Teeth with dark brown teeth eg .tetracycline stains are very difficult to bleach. Sometimes porcelain veneers are required as well. Also discolored fillings and crowns cannot be bleached. They can be replaced after teeth bleaching |
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| How do I decide to have a porcelain veneer or a crown instead? |
If your teeth are heavily restored with fillings ,crowning is more appropriate. But if your teeth are mostly intact porcelain veneer is more appropriate as it is more conservative with minimal tooth preparation.
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