Modern dentistry has made enormous strides and the one thing that has improved dramatically is patient education and awareness. Because patients are now better informed, they realise that dental maintenance is vital if they want to retain their teeth for the duration of their lives. Maintaining teeth is much more than just performing regular, routine oral hygiene. Ensuring that teeth are cleaned regularly and six-monthly visits to the dental surgery and hygienist are conducted is part of a proper dental care program. Teeth are much more than a means to demonstrate our pleasure by smiling or anger by snarling, they are also the way in which we aid our digestive system by chewing our food. To be able to chew our food properly our teeth must be functioning correctly. Being able to display a broad smile also makes us feel confident.
A field of dentistry sometimes misunderstood
As a cosmetic dentist in Bromley it is important to explain to patients that cosmetic dentistry is not just a field of dentistry that only serves one purpose. This is a field of dentistry which also provides relief from misaligned teeth and helps boost confidence. Misaligned teeth can cause tired and aching jaws and speech impediments. Lack of confidence can also affect a patient’s mental state.
Simple to complex procedures
The relatively simple procedure of teeth whitening can cause problems if not done correctly. We can either conduct this procedure in surgery or provide the correct solution for a particular patient’s teeth and the instruction that allows the procedure to be conducted at home. We can also now perform dental fillings with tooth coloured or white filling material. Porcelain veneers also allow us to make all your teeth uniform and conceal chips and cracks in teeth. Inlays and overlays are also used to fill dental cavities which are fitted into the biting surface of the tooth. The more complex procedure of correcting misaligned teeth has seen major technological and dental advances. We are now able to present a patient with a virtual image of what their smile will look like even before the treatment has begun. Advances in dental science and technology has seen the traditional metal brace being overhauled into a far more comfortable and effective appliance. In addition, braces that fit onto the inside of the teeth have been invented which make the appliance almost invisible. Braces that can self-adjust meaning fewer dental visits during treatment are also very popular. One of the major developments has been the introduction of aligners which work differently from the blocks, wires and bands of the earlier methods employed to straighten teeth. These aligners fit over the teeth in much the same way that gum shields fit over teeth. These aligners also have the advantage of being able to be removed to allow for cleaning and eating although they do need to be worn for at least twenty-two hours per day. They are made from a clear dental material and are therefore less conspicuous than braces which are fitted to the front of the teeth.
Practical as well as cosmetic
A dentist’s primary function is to restore a patient’s teeth so that they are able to perform the function for which they are designed to be able to chew food properly. We also understand that appearance plays an important part in everyone’s life, especially in the twenty-first century. Cosmetic dentistry requires a great deal of skill because it is effectively the part of dentistry which is most prominently on show.
