If you watched the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics in China, then you’ll be fully aware of the story of Yang Peivi, the seven year old due to sing the opening ceremony anthem “Ode to the Motherland”. An international scandal ensued when, at the last minute, Yang Peivi had her place taken by Lin Miaoke because Peivi’s teeth failed to meet the high cosmetic dentistry standards of the Beijing organising committee. They had decided that “the child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feelings and expression,” a standard of which they felt Peivi did not meet.
What could she do about her teeth, you may ask. Well, if you found yourself in a position where you felt you were being overlooked because of your teeth then the answer may well be cosmetic dentistry, which is an area of ever-growing interest to consumers and observers alike. There has been steady growth in the field ever since the realisation that dentistry need no longer concern itself with only the practical; that it can do more for people than simply filling teeth and extracting them.
Cosmetic dentistry is commonly seen as a practice that improves upon the aesthetics of one’s teeth and, by extension, one’s mouth and face. The aesthetic aspect alone causes an increasing amount of customers to go for a procedure that they believe will improve their chances in various facets of life, from love and relationships to the professional side of life, particularly in making a better impression when meeting clients.
For the majority of consumers who opt for cosmetic dentistry, however, it is about much more than the aesthetic changes to their features. Many people choose to receive such treatment in order to boost their confidence and their self-esteem, which generally happens when they don’t feel the need to worry about their appearance. This extra confidence and self-esteem has a positive effect on people, which, as any confident person will tell you, does just as much if not more when it comes to relationships or employment.
There are several procedures now available to consumers who wish to have cosmetic dentistry. Teeth Whitening (or tooth bleaching) is perhaps the most commonly available and widely used. It is a non-invasive treatment, which produces a visibly noticeable difference. In many cases teeth appear to have been ‘brightened up’.
Dental Implants are another popular treatment. When a tooth is lost dental implants replace the missing tooth and support a crown without the need to damage or compromise adjacent teeth. Furthermore where a number of teeth have been lost they can act as bridge retainers and support several teeth thereby removing the need to wear removable dentures.
Other procedures include White Fillings (which are mercury free and routinely used addition to the fast moving world of adhesive) and Metal Free Crowns. Metal Free Crowns generally allow the natural colour of the tooth to show, by utilising a natural looking finish that includes the shade variances that occur in natural teeth. This removes any possibility of the unsightly black line that can show through in crowns containing metal and porcelain.
Veneers are another option that somebody interested in receiving cosmetic dentistry might opt for. These effectively reface the front of teeth taking approximately 0.5 mm depth of the natural tooth structure. The porcelain veneers are then adhesively bonded to the natural tooth structure. They are an effective and relatively conservative method of dealing with spaces between teeth, unsightly staining or discolouration, rotated teeth and chipped teeth.
Importantly, all these treatments are designed to enhance both the self-esteem and confidence of a patient and, beyond all else, this is the main reason for the continued growth and interest in the field of cosmetic dentistry.
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