Dr Gatti's Blog a Lawrence Dentist Reflections

The many facets of cosmetic dentistry  in Lawrence 

Over the past several weeks I have been addressing many facets of cosmetic dentistry. I have looked at what is involved in whitening teeth, how interdisciplinary dentistry is often times involved and how cosmetic dentists view situations differently than just disease prevention.  I thought over the next couple of weeks I could show you some cosmetic cases that we have been able to accomplish. Some will be relatively simple and others will be very complex.  I will try to show a couple of each type of case with each posting. Let’s see if I can’t keep it fun and interesting.  

Case I

When Alix was young she sustained trauma to her front teeth which led to discoloration that was very disconcerting to her. As we discussed available options with her it became clear that she was not only concerned about the coloration of the traumatized teeth, but also about the spacing, the positioning of the lateral incisor and the overall coloration of her teeth as well. 

These are issues that can be best addressed by a cosmetic dentist.

After discussing multiple options she decided that she would like to involve as few teeth as possible, but yet she wanted to have a great smile. 

The treatment involved whitening all of her teeth and the placement of porcelain veneers on her front four teeth.

See what you think? 
This is Alix’s un-retouched photo!

Case II

Sharon never really liked (this really is an understatement of how she explained it to me – but I think you get the idea) the spaces between her front teeth. She was alright with the overall coloration, however if she were going to address her smile she ideally wanted her teeth to be whiter and brighter.

After reviewing the options, waxing up an option on her models and then “mocking up” her smile temporarily in her mouth, it was decided to limit the treatment to the front four teeth.As with the previous case we were able to whiten her teeth, then place porcelain veneers on her front four teeth. She was elated with the outcome and still finds it hard to believe that she got such a dramatic result with only involving four teeth. Take a look!

Being a Lawrence Cosmetic Dentist is…

In an another post, I sorted out the differences between the branches of dentistry. Today I want to reflect on what it means to me to be a cosmetic dentist.

Every cosmetic dentist is concerned about the appearance of the teeth and smile while working on the oral health of patients.

When I am working with my patients I will evaluate how important the appearance of their teeth and smile are to them. The majority of my clients want their mouths to be healthy and to look natural. Every dental restoration, whether it is a crown, implant, veneer, bridge or filling can be made in such a way as to achieve an esthetic, natural looking result. Dental restoration is the primary work of a cosmetic dentist.

Obviously, people come to me for different reasons. Some want to create a truly dazzling appearance. Others have dental problems and want their mouths to be healthy, comfortable, and able to chew normally. So, whether you want a “perfect” smile or to just subtly enhance your existing healthy smile, it can be accomplished. There is both an art and science to creating a beautiful smile that will give you confidence. So, for me, a cosmetic dentist, it is always looking at how the veneer, crown or implant can result in natural appearance. 

To attain the result you want we have to begin with the end in mind. Everyone has a different concept of beauty, and it holds true to oral health and appearance as well. Some clients come to me knowing that they want their teeth to look a certain way. Others don’t really have any idea of what is possible. In either case we have developed means to assure the correct result for you is attained. 

Planning the cosmetic result is essential to attain a natural, beautiful result.

Cosmetic dentistry without regard to function will often lead to failure. Porcelain veneers and crowns can be done in a manner that makes it virtually impossible for anyone to detect that they are not your natural teeth. Not every case is complex, but they almost always take careful planning and study. So, whether I am restoring one tooth with a crown or rehabilitating your entire mouth with veneers, crowns and implants, I want the end result to be beautiful, functional and appear natural.  

Cosmetic dentistry is the same everywhere, I chose Lawrence as my home, and I enjoy the work that I do in this town. This is what it means to me to be a Lawrence cosmetic dentist.

All athletic mouthguards are not created equal

Spring is here and that usually means more activities and an increase in trauma to the orofacial areas. Properly fitted mouthguards have been shown to provide protection against injuries and trauma to the mouth and teeth. Furthermore, the use of custom-fabricated mouthguards decreases the likelihood of a concussion as well. 

It seems more often than not it a parent asking me about what they should do to protect children’s teeth when they are involved with contact sports.  By the way, soccer, basketball and baseball are all contact sports. It is interesting that only a few amateur sports such as football, boxing, ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, and women’s field hockey require the use of an athletic mouthguard. So, the sports that have the highest incidence of tooth loss are basketball (ask Cole Aldrich) and baseball. 

Anyway, back to the question at hand. Should my child wear a mouthguard when playing soccer, basketball, etc.?  The answer is yes. Sometimes the mouthguard to recommend needs special consideration.  Young athletes may be in fixed orthodontics or do not yet have all of their adult teeth in place. We have to allow for tooth eruption and growth. So, sometimes this can be a bit challenging or require that the mouthguards only be worn for one season. 

Basically there are three categories of mouthguards. They include:

• Type I    (stock)
• Type II   (mouth-formed)
• Type III  (custom-fabricated)

Type I mouthguards are the least expensive of the three and offer the least protection. These mouthguards can be purchased at sporting good stores, removed from the package and worn without any fitting. They are the most cumbersome and least comfortable.

Type II mouthguards are commonly known as the “boil and bite” mouthguards. These are also store bought and are the most popular. The guard is boiled in water and some attempts are made to fit them.

Type III mouthguards are custom-made from impressions of the mouth. These are considered the best when compared with the others. They are more protective because of the close adaptation they have with the athlete’s teeth and oral anatomy. Due to the custom fit they are more comfortable, and easier to speak with it in your mouth, therefore the compliance goes up compared to type I and II.

Mouthguards can be designed for the type of sport being played. For adults I almost always recommend a type III, custom – fabricated mouthguard for a multitude of reasons. For children it varies dependent on where they are at in their growth, the sport, how often they will need replacing and what they will actually wear.

If we can help you or your child with an athletic mouthguard, please let us know, we are located at the corner of Bob Billings Parkway and Legends in Lawrence, KS and you can call us at (785) 749-2943 .