What Defines Quality Cosmetic Dentistry?

Cosmetic dentistry can transform your smile – and your life!  

An appealing smile is more important than you might realize. In fact, in a survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentists, nearly half of the respondents said that a smile is a person’s most attractive feature and more than half said a great smile can withstand the test of time. More than three in five say their smile is worth an investment.

Not everyone is born with a great smile, though. If you are one of those with an imperfect smile, cosmetic dentistry can help. To get the best smile possible, you’ll need high quality cosmetic dentistry.  

Quality cosmetic dentistry can be hard to define. Fortunately, our cosmetic dentist in Gilbert can help.

Quality Cosmetic Dentistry in Gilbert, AZ

Education and training

All dentists undergo rigorous training while completing a dental degree from an accredited dental school. This training provides foundational knowledge in a wide variety of topics, such as:

• Anatomy
• Oral health
• General dental procedures
• Specialized cosmetic procedures

Dentists who want to provide quality cosmetic dentistry undergo additional training, complete postgraduate courses, and earn certification. These extra steps ensure the highest quality cosmetic dental care possible by introducing dentists to additional skills, such as:

• Smile design
• Advanced dental technology
• Color theory

Experience

Learning about dentistry and dental techniques is not enough – it takes years of experience using these techniques to provide quality cosmetic dentistry. Hands-on experience helps cosmetic dentists navigate the complexities of improving smiles. This experience helps cosmetic dentists provide a wide variety of services, such as:

• Teeth whitening

• Tooth-colored fillings
• Dental implants
• Dental veneers
• Invisalign
• Gum contouring  
• Dental bonding
• Full mouth rehabilitation
• Complex smile makeover

Experience helps your cosmetic dentist deal with issues that may make cosmetic dentistry more challenging. It also helps your dentist develop personal treatment plans for each patient they see, work with your unique features and preferences, and combine treatments to create the most appealing smile possible.  

Artistic skill

In addition to possessing technical skills, cosmetic dentist must also have an eye for color, proportion, and aesthetic harmony. An artistic eye is especially important in cosmetic procedures, such as veneers, smile makeovers, and teeth contouring, in which your cosmetic dentist hand-crafts your smile.

Artistic skill helps your dentist create a smile that is aesthetically pleasing and uniquely yours based on a number of factors, such as:

• The structure of your face
• Dental symmetry, or making sure that your smile is evenly aligned and proportioned
• The materials used
• Matching the color/shades of your teeth
• The translucency and texture of the enamel on your teeth

Use of state-of-the-art dental technology

Cosmetic dentistry is constantly evolving, and the best cosmetic dentists embrace the most advanced technology to provide exceptional care. Today’s advanced cosmetic dentistry uses technology like:  

• Modern dental adhesives to bond biomaterials to the structures of the teeth  

• Zeiss Extaro 300 Microscope that allows dentists to see bacteria under fluorescence for precise, minimally invasive treatment
• Cerec Primescan CAD-CAM that allows cosmetic dentists to scan teeth digitally to create digital images rather than using old-fashioned gunk to create impressions
• Diagnodent that helps dentists diagnose the depth of a cavity by shining a non-cutting laser onto a tooth
• Cone Beam 3D Imaging that creates 3-dimensional images
• Surgical Magnification Loupes, which are magnifying tools that dental surgeons attach to glasses to see small details more closely
• Dexis CariVu – a camera that shines light through a tooth, enabling your dentist to diagnose cracks in teeth that routine exams and x-rays may miss
• Caries Detector Dye – a special stain that dentists use to differentiate between decayed and healthy tissue, which helps your dentist remove damaged tissue while preserving healthy tissue

Communication skills

Communication is the foundation of quality cosmetic dentistry, as dentists have to fully understand your goals and expectations for your smile. Good communication skills include:

• Listening attentively to what their patients say
• Explaining procedures clearly
• Ensuring that patients are well-informed and feel comfortable about their proposed treatment plan
• Creating an environment of comfort and trust
• Facilitating open dialogue about the desires, goals, and concerns of their patients

Good communication skills help patients understand the treatment process, have reasonable expectations about the outcome, and take good care of the veneers, implants, or other cosmetic treatment. Communication helps patients make informed decisions, and promotes collaboration between the dentist and the patients.

Technical proficiency

To provide quality cosmetic dentistry and transform smiles, a dentist must be able to apply the most advanced technical knowledge and special skills. They must demonstrate expertise in:

• The use of advanced dental technology
• Demonstrating a deep understanding of and performing cosmetic treatments, such as overlays using Biomimetric Crown Alternatives, onlays, same day crowns, dental veneers, teeth straightening, professional whitening, composite bonding, tooth-colored fillings, and restorative treatments
• Proficiency in using advanced technologies, such as digital imaging and CAD/CAM systems  

A patient-centered approach

Patient-centered cosmetic dentistry puts on the focus on you and your smile. It emphasizes the importance of tailoring cosmetic dentistry to meet your unique needs and desires.  

Look for a dentist who practices “slow dentistry,” which is an approach to dentistry in which the cosmetic dentist in Phoenix takes their time to be exhaustively comprehensive and thorough.  

Where can I get quality cosmetic dentistry near me?

Dr. Schiffenhaus provides quality cosmetic dentistry for people living in Gilbert and nearby Phoenix. Our cosmetic dentist in Gilbert has the training, experience, artistic skill, advanced training, communication skills, technical proficiency and patient-centered approach you need for the highest quality cosmetic dentistry possible.

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