Beautiful Smiles by Design
(Continued)
 |
| Smile design has as much to consider as the designing and building of a home! |
Smile Design: Art Meets Engineering
Consider the challenges of building or remodeling a house. Planning would require decisions about design, engineering, materials, contractors and subcontractors to name a few! From the choice of construction materials to the size of each room to the style of architecture — the eventual assembly for each home would be as varied as its geographic location just as the final design would be as diverse as the preference of the owner living within.
Planning for a new smile is much the same. By comparing the person's current conditions with the desired result, the dentist can map out several possible strategies for consideration in meeting the desired smile design goals. The interrelation of the smile analysis criteria and the comprehensive oral health factors is addressed. The benefits of supplementary care with other dental specialty disciplines may be considered [Figure 7 and 8]. The array of available treatment procedures will be described, and the palette of prospective restorative materials will be explained. Together the dentist and patient will weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each of the many choices to determine the scope of treatment and the final plan to achieve the desired smile.
 |
 |
| Figure 7: Treatment rendered by dental specialists is often required to position the teeth and gums appropriately to achieve the best esthetic results. | Figure 8: Both orthodontic (braces) and periodontal (gum treatment) procedures were utilized in addition to cosmetic restorative treatment to create a result that met the patient's goals. |
| Photos provided by Dr. Stephen R. Snow | |
Consider the challenges of building or remodeling a house. Planning would require decisions about design, engineering, materials, contractors and subcontractors to name a few! From the choice of construction materials to the size of each room to the style of architecture — the eventual assembly for each home would be as varied as its geographic location just as the final design would be as diverse as the preference of the owner living within.
Planning for a new smile is much the same. By comparing the person's current conditions with the desired result, the dentist can map out several possible strategies for consideration in meeting the desired smile design goals. The interrelation of the smile analysis criteria and the comprehensive oral health factors is addressed. The benefits of supplementary care with other dental specialty disciplines may be considered [Figure 7 and 8]. The array of available treatment procedures will be described, and the palette of prospective restorative materials will be explained. Together the dentist and patient will weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each of the many choices to determine the scope of treatment and the final plan to achieve the desired smile.
