Recent Blog Posts

How To Find The Cosmetic Dentist Who Gives You The Smile That You Always Wanted.   Information about cosmetic dentistry might be confusing. Everybody looking to enhance his or her smile has a different set of circumstances. This website was designed to help anyone who is looking for cosmetic dentistry to find answers that apply to his or her particular dental condition. This infographic illustrates the eight steps that you can take to find the cosmetic dentist who fits your needs.  

Teeth are still the heroes of cosmetic dentistry - And it is the job of the cosmetic dentist to fully utilize their nature-given toughness. - In case you have ever wondered how our teeth can withstand decades of daily abuse with all kinds of food particles and grinding habits, I thought I would briefly talk about the most recent findings of a team of international researchers at the University of Berlin, who analyzed the nanostructures of dentin, which is the softer core of a tooth, yet tougher than enamel. The team discovered that the mineral components that are attached to small collagen fibers of dentin are precompressed by a shrinkage of the collagen that takes place after the assembly of these two components by highly specialized surrounding cells. This compressive tension within the dentin helps to prevent cracks from developing. Propagation of cracks is especially prevented in the inner parts of the dentin layer, hence protecting the dental pulp.

Kick-off for the annual scientific session of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in San Francisco. We had a great warm up covering the topics AACD-accreditation of cosmetic dentists, delivery of porcelain veneers, and tooth-colored dental materials. My favorites are the discussion of how the restoration of anterior teeth will be functionally and aesthetically predictable and how the dental bite ("occlusion") relates to the natural position of the temporo-mandibular joints. Special guest at the opening event was Dr. Drew Pinsky, who is the host of HLN's "Dr. Drew On Call" and the host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Loveline." This year's AACD 2015 has an impressive lineup. From basic cosmetic dental principles to live dentistry, from smile design to clinical and scientific power sessions, hosting lecturers from all over the world, this event is expected to inspire dental professionals of all walks of life.

Natural-Looking Porcelain Veneers What makes porcelain veneers look natural? What is wrong with the teeth of the upper image? Why do the teeth in the lower image look much more natural and youthful? This example above shows a patient who had old porcelain veneers (lumineers) that needed to be replaced. Just a cursory glance let's us become aware of the unnatural appearance of the lumineers in the upper image. The teeth look over-contoured, monochromatic, and misaligned. Their overall appearance is unnatural, boring, and in fact faulty. The new veneers look both youthful and natural. First, it needs to be clarified that natural-looking teeth have different optical characteristics depending on the age and wear of teeth.

Porcelain versus Dental Enamel The similarities and differences between dental porcelains and natural enamel. Tooth structure has been replaced with porcelains for well over two decades. Among those dental materials available, such as resin composites, alloys, and metal-ceramics, all-porcelain restorations are the most "toothlike" restorative materials. However, how closely do dental porcelains mimic the physical, biological, and optical properties of natural dental enamel?

Do Animals Smile? Facial expressions of pets have been interpreted as actual emotional expressions. Everyone of us can probably recall a moment when we saw the sad or happy face of a dog. And our emotional response is immediate. A pet's emotion can elicit compassion or exhilaration in us. Attentive pet owners actually know their companion gives them a genuine smile, just like human beings know when they encounter a fake or natural smile. This leads to the question what is more important, the smiling person or the emotional response of the observer. This question is very similar to this one: "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

Metamorphosis of a Smile This is my second Gif(t) of Cosmetic Dentistry. It represents the essence of cosmetic dentistry. The simple comparison of a smile before and after its makeover with porcelain veneers. Cosmetic dentistry is for you. While this video will just focus on the effect a direct comparison in form of an animation creates, please feel free to browse this website for further information.

Metamorphosis of a Smile This is the beginning of my The Gif(t) of Cosmetic Dentistry series. There have been enough words about the steps necessary to design a smile. Often we forget the purpose of cosmetic dentistry. It is a service. It is about changing lives. This brief gif video represents the essence, the metamorphosis of a smile with cosmetic dentistry, and the effect it creates within the observer and its owner. It really is a gif(t).

What does your smile say about you? Aristotle once said, "Beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of introduction". This is still very true today. Nancy Etcoff so pointedly reminds us in her chapter "Beauty as Bait" of her book "Survival of the Prettiest" how even children gravitate towards beauty and taunt aesthetic shortcomings of others. Surprisingly, a baby knows beauty when he or she sees it. Alan Slater of Exeter University showed pictures rated by adults as being more or less attractive to babies only two-and-a-half days old and found that they stared longer at faces which adults considered more beautiful. How does this apply to our new "Town Square", our world of social media? One might rephrase Aristotle's wisdom and state,

Cosmetic Dentist and Cosmetologist What do cosmetic dentists and cosmetologists have in common? One might believe that the fields of cosmetic dentistry and cosmetology have not much in common. However, when comparing their respective activities and responsibilities, it becomes apparent that a cosmetologist has to look at his client the same way as a cosmetic dentist evaluates his or her patient, prior to any service and while delivering it. A cosmetic dentist is an expert for aesthetic enhancements of teeth, including smile rejuvenation, smile makeovers, and the restoration and rehabilitation of lost tooth structure and function.