Cosmetic Dental Consultation: What to expect

Before pursuing a cosmetic dentistry consultation it is important to have an idea of what you would like to achieve with regards to your smile.

The first consultation is really important. It is an opportunity to hear my patients’ desires to ensure a successful outcome. In this day and age of the Internet, our patients are very well educated and many have an idea of what they’d like to achieve with their smile. On the other hand, many patients present without this knowledge.

I ask guided questions such as: “What is it about your smile that you would like to change?” and “Do you like the appearance of straight white perfect teeth or do you prefer a clean healthy natural appearance?”

After carefully listening to my patients’ desires, I take them through a series of functional analysis to ensure that the mouth is functioning properly. Molds of the mouth and jaw are taken so that the cast of the mouth can be properly mounted on a machine that replicates the function of the individual’s mouth.

Very thorough documentation is taken of the important aspects of the mouth as it exists and a series of photographs are taken. All of the information is used to make a wax up on the mounted casts so our patient are able to see a mock-up of the intended smile. This mock can be transferred to the mouth so that it is possible for the patient to see their actual smile in their mouth before they commit to treatment.

This thorough examination is done when our patient is looking for a smile transformation. Many of my patients may not require such an extensive analysis; often my patients need some whitening and a little bonding to fix an irregularity. In this case they can be out of the office in about an hour or two with their refreshed, beautiful smile.