Now came the fun stuff. We saw Robert one last time to fine-tune his bite and check for any other minor adjustments. Afterwards Robert was kind enough to let me take a few portrait photos. I was really proud of the final results and so was he!

Here’s a ‘before’ portrait:

and ‘after’… what a change!

Looking at Robert’s final result, I have to agree with him. Even smiling as big as he can, no one can see the gum-line area of his crowns. In this case the tissue did not need to be changed to have an excellent final result. If his lip rose above the tissue/crown meeting area at the gum-line, these crowns would not have been as pleasing to look at. Here he is at ‘maximum’ smile:

Since we agreed on ‘natural’ and not ‘Hollywood’ for the shade of his teeth, Robert decided to proceed. We placed 6 beautiful all-ceramic crowns on his upper front teeth. The gaps were closed, the color was brighter (but not TOO bright!), and the teeth were the right size because the orthodontics were a success. Also, the edges and corners were restored to their ideal position allowing Robert’s new teeth to function better. He was ecstatic! Take a look:

So Robert had his teeth positioned correctly, and now wanted a cosmetic enhancement. Our conversation revolved around a few things. First, he wanted ‘whiter’ teeth, but not ‘too’ white. He used the term ‘natural’. I was in agreement. Too often people get their teeth fixed with white ‘Chicklette’-looking crowns or veneers. They’re SO white that any characterization is lost. Since Robert is fairly fair-skinned, that would have looked horrible.

The many spaces that existed between his teeth could be filled in with correctly-sized teeth since the orthodontist had moved the teeth into the right general areas. My only other area of concern was the different levels of his gum line around these teeth. They were uneven and could be dramatically improved with a bit of recontouring. After careful consideration, Robert decided to leave them at their current level. He reasoned that he never smiled large enough to see them anyway!

We’ve talked a bit about getting the teeth in the right position before restoring, or fixing them. Now let’s say they’ve been moved correctly, or are already where they need to be. What’s the next step?

Here’s another example of what we discussed. Robert came to me at the end of his orthodontic treatment. His orthodontist had moved his teeth to the right general area for restoring. Robert and I went over the options and decided to fix his top teeth first, followed by the lower front teeth later. He wasn’t happy with the color and shape that he currently had. I think you’ll agree:

What makes this process even easier is the development of a new way to move teeth.  In the past the orthodontist would have to place brackets and wires to change the alignment of teeth.  This is the ‘common’ version of orthodontics.  But now he has a new, high tech tool that often can be used.  It’s called Invisalign.  I won’t go into the details, but I will tell you that it’s by far easier and FASTER than conventional braces.  And without all the added ‘hardware’ that comes with traditional braces, there’s less trauma and complications for the patient.  I can’t tell you how may times I’ve had people tell me what a breeze their Invisalign treatment has been!

So if you need to have teeth realigned in order to make your dental work ideal, you’ve got a great new way to do it!  Ask us about Invisalign and we can get you some more information.

Let’s look at a great example. Greg had front teeth that needed to be restored after having plastic (or composite) veneers for many years. But the spaces between his teeth were very large. To properly restore these teeth and make them look their best I recommended Greg see the orthodontist first. He wasn’t happy. Especially after he got the braces placed on his teeth.

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But the treatment time wasn’t too long and afterwards I was able to craft a beautiful new smile with only a few porcelain veneers. The ultimate result required less work, involved fewer teeth, and looked FAR better than if we tried the ‘instant’ method!

So to continue, the instant ortho craze has been fueled by people’s desire for an immediate change. And it can be impressive. Who wouldn’t want to walk in with a mouth full of yellowed, worn, misaligned teeth and leave with a gleaming, straight, gorgeous smile? Few things can change a person’s appearance as dramatically and easily.

But let’s look at it differently. If the same teeth can be moved to a more ideal position first, a few things occur. First, the final ‘look’ many times will be enhanced significantly because the spacing between teeth will be ideal, allowing for the correct size of the new teeth. Second, less teeth may have to be worked on to get this great new look, saving the patient money. Also, less work may have to be done on each individual tooth. What I mean by this is that a more conservative preparation (or less ‘grinding’ of each tooth) will occur if it is in the right spot.

Often the decision comes down to an ‘immediate’ fix versus one that takes a little longer, but frequently is more conservative. Which way would you go?

Sometimes orthodontics alone can’t solve a dental misalignment. A great example is teeth that are in the wrong position AND are broken down or worn out. In this case the orthodontist will place the teeth in the correct position and then it’s up to the restorative dentist to properly finish the case. Often these are the cases a ‘cosmetic’ dentist will try and ’sell’ what is called ‘instant orthodontics’. He/she will place veneers or crowns to alter the position and contour of the teeth. Here’s the problem…often there are more teeth prepared (or ‘ground down’) than necessary. And these teeth many times have more ground off of them to change their position. This can lead to more problems later.

I’ll admit something up front…I’m a much better dentist than graphics designer! With that in mind, take a look at my rendition of what some patients look like after having unnecessary extractions before orthodontics. Yes, as I stated earlier, the TEETH are straight. But the ultimate result is a ‘caved in’ or ‘pulled back’ look to the lower face. The next time you take a look at someone who has braces or needs them, keep this in mind.

And don’t worry….I won’t be trying a new career as a Photoshop editor!