The things that made for great dentistry years ago are not the same today. Such a statement was really brought home to me this past Friday when a patient came in to the office that I had done extensive dental work on many years ago. The patient is happy with his smile. But through time many things have changed, the materials and the techniques have changed. There are also newer technologies. In other words, dentistry has changed. Specifically, cosmetic dentistry has changed. So what we did a few years ago, however good it may look now, we can do better today. A reconstruction done ten or more years ago was considered terrific if it made the teeth look ‘natural.’ Today the buzz is all about white, whiten and whitest. Recently, a patient came in that wanted a reconstruction. Why? Because I did a reconstruction on her husband and she wanted to look as good if not better.
Today we have such things as Invisalign, to move the teeth into the correct position. We have porcelain veneers that can be made exceedingly thin so less tooth is taken away and crowns that are made of ceramic materials that are truly lifelike. This is a very exciting time to be a cosmetic dentist. Helping patients to achieve the smile that they always wanted is just one of our goals.
I just worked on a patient that desired an anterior reconstruction that involved twelve teeth. The greatest part of doing this type of work is the trust that a patient endows to me. I have always felt it was a privilege to be able to treat a patient. Not the other way around, where it is a privilege to be treated. This patient had work done by me that involved three and a half hours of dental work, almost non-stop. The change in his smile was dramatic and so fulfilling for me and my staff.
Stamford, Connecticut, with the surrounding communities of Darien, New Canaan and Greenwich, have been a great home for our practice. We are very fortunate to have such great communities and patients in this area.
