What could a new smile do for you?

Did you know that soccer megastar Cristiano Ronaldo is the most-followed person on Instagram, with over 600 million followers? 

And did you know that finding a good dentist early in his career has contributed to his popularity … by making him more photogenic?

Here are before and after shots of Ronaldo’s multi-million-dollar smile:

Of course, we’re all different (and none of us has Ronaldo’s generational sporting ability), but the desire to improve our smile to enhance our overall appearance is shared by many.

Do I need a new smile?

There are various reasons people want to change their smile.

Some people are self-conscious about a particular aspect of their natural smile. Others have damaged a tooth or teeth, prompting them to consider the opportunity for a broader improvement. Some think that their smile makes them look older than they are and wonder whether they could look younger with a new smile.

In general, we know that people who have a symmetrical smile with even teeth and no gaps tend to smile more readily and appear more self-confident. As a result, it’s far from unusual to want a new smile and you shouldn’t feel at all embarrassed talking to us about any changes you would like.

What is smile design?

Cosmetic dentistry has been around for a long time. There have always been patients who needed some reconstruction work done, whether after an accident, because their natural bite was misaligned, or when the condition of their teeth had implications for their long-term viability.

What’s changed in recent years is that we can design a smile using digital technology, which not only helps you visualise how your new smile will look but also allows us to be very accurate in planning the work for each patient and delivering a smile that looks exactly as you want it to.

Smile design takes into account the aesthetics of the patient’s mouth and face, considering elements including face width and lip length. The process can involve implants, crowns, veneers, whitening, lip lifts, and gum alterations.

How do dentists design your smile?

Smile design uses digital photography, 3D scanning, and state-of-the-art software to record and analyse your face, jaw, and teeth in preparation for restorative or cosmetic dental work.

There are a number of dental factors we take into consideration, not least the dimensions of your teeth and your smile line – the bottom edge of your top teeth.

Then there’s the dental midline (the line between your two upper and two lower front teeth), the incisal length (the length of your four front teeth), zenith points (the highest points of the gumline arch on teeth), axial inclination (the angle formed between the long axis of the tooth and the bone it comes from), interproximal contact area, interproximal contact point, and incisal embrasure.

Thank goodness digital technology has made all of that so much faster and simpler!

How much does smile design cost?

Because technology has given us this fantastic capability, Middleborough Dental Care is offering complimentary smile design for patients who would like to improve their smile.

When you book a dental exam and cleaning appointment, just ask us and we’ll ‘throw in’ smile design as an additional service. You’ll get an image of what your new smile could look like at no extra cost.

We’ll take some photos of your current smile, come up with a new design, and discuss what steps are required to bring that new smile to your face.

Dr Nicole has done a mini-residency in prosthodontics (the branch of dentistry dedicated to making replacements for missing or damaged teeth) and has experience using digital smile design (DSD) software.

Because we can plan your treatment journey digitally, from start to finish, your new smile will be exactly the way you were able to visualise it.

We look forward to helping you smile more often and with greater confidence.