Smile Makeovers are only part of the Story
- But What is Beauty? -
Often considered as a manifestation of perfection, beauty is cherished by us all. More than merely physical, the essence of beauty contains both a spiritual and an emotional element, which touches many aspects of our lives. While it may not be the most essential of our values, beauty has the power of drawing attention and eliciting respect and admiration in the eye of the beholder. Its roots run deep below the surface of society - and effect each of us. Cosmetic dentist Dr. Claude Rufenacht wrote a wonderful book about the many facets and interactions between cosmetic dentistry and the holistic view of beauty and aesthetics. (see reference below)
While beauty cannot be measured, harmony - which is most often associated with beauty - can be expressed in formulas. Disregarding ornamentation such as make-up and hair style, facial harmony can be calculated according to such formulas, dictating a sort of blueprint for the ideal human face.
Recent studies on the best-paid magazine models revealed the current ideal of facial aesthetics:
- a slightly protruding mouth profile
- a clear outline of bony structure
- a permanent display of upper teeth
- a short and full upper lip and, quite naturally
Cosmetic Dentistry and Beauty?
Cosmetic dentists rely on more than pure intuition. While the appraisal of the lower one third of the face is an integral part of assessing facial beauty, a cosmetic dentist looks at various angles, in three dimensions, and at depper levels of anatomy and function.
Cosmetic Dentistry is not a new specialty. Ornamentation of teeth and the human body have been observed for thousands of years. However, the election of a smile design with porcelain veneers is an expression of a striving for a better quality of life as a dental patient and the desire to have a positive impact on people's lives as a cosmetic dentist.
Until recently, dentistry was merely a technical specialty with a medical orientation. Functionality has always been of paramount concern, however, in the past, aesthetic outcomes were secondary, because the strongest dental materials were metallic. They still are. However, today we have non-metallic materials available that, together with meticulous bonding techniques, allow us to restore teeth to native function and aesthetics. A new aesthetic standard has developed on our societies.
Cosmetic Dentistry is not just 'cosmetic'.
The word 'cosmetic' derives from the greek language meaning embellishing or adorning. Dentistry does not embellish, but strives for establishing functional and aesthetic harmony.
Each optimum solution contains an aesthetic element. We see this in every aspect of life, such as landscaping, automotives, body care, in fact everywhere in our envirenments of livingness. However, the most impressive architectural masterpieces are not just beautiful but also harmoniously integrated into their environment. The pyramids of Gizeh are monuments of a perfect solution. The use of oxidized metal (which is stone) in an oxygen-containing atmosphere, a pyramid form at the gravitational forces of about 9.8 m/s². They demonstrate that perfect harmony contains both internal harmony and complete balance with the environment.
The most important aspect of cosmetic dentistry is a thorough analysis of the existing conditions. Teeth have numerous functions. They help to organize food in our mouth, process it prior to its transportation to the digestive system, and they communicate with the CNS about location, size, texture, hardness, and toughness of the food particles. The tongue and oral tissues contribute by indicating other tactile senses as well as taste. In fact, the earliest teeth found in conodonts who existed on this planet about 480 million years ago, indicate the primary sensory function of teeth. Studies at the periodontal apparatus of modern teeth clearly underline their sensory purpose. (
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